The Price Of Magic
by forevercharmed01
Summary: Being the last of anything can be a lonely road, but for Merlin and Morgana it can also be an expensive and deadly one. Hidden forces working against Camelot's golden age, the last dragonlord and high priestess find themselves hunted with a price for their capture and with a dark road ahead, they soon learn some are willing to pay more then just money for the death of a destiny.
1. Prologue

**Hello, Back again with a new story, **

**Came to me a while back as i said i would start the new one when my first was haflway through, though i'm not sure if that is true, this one had been sitting on my laptop looking lonely so i decided to put it up early.**

**Hopefully i can get regualar updates to both my stories if not please bear with me as i'm excited about starting this. **

**Only a prologue but it will progress so again please bear with it and hopefully you'll all enjoy as it goes along. **

* * *

Merlin sighed happily as he rode through the forest on his way back from Ealdor his birth home and back to Camelot, his home away from home. A lot had happened ever since he left the small country side village that resided in Essitir some years back he had come to the Kingdom of king Uther on his mother's order and sought out Gaius the physician, whom she was good friends with.

Unfortunately the place he was sent was a poster kingdom for anti-magic with the king waging war on the magic that he made no shyness of telling anyone who listened, it was an evil and soul destroying parasite on the earth and he made it his sworn life's mission to eradicate all who possessed it, from the highest offenders those who still openly used magic to attack the court in a bid to kill the tyrant king, and the one's that Merlin had heard about, the one's like Nimueh and Sigan, who had been the strongest in the days that sorcery was tolerated but now they were but words on peoples lips and had been for twenty years, not even them as any mentioning of the traitorous sorceress would have meant instant death and so only thought of in the minds of people who still dared to think.

Unfortunately on his first day he made an enemy of the biggest prat he ever met only for him to learn he was in fact that prince of Camelot and so was the second highest prat going, it didn't help matters that he had put him in the cells where a rough and admittedly scary voice was calling to him and it really didn't help matters when he finally followed that scary voice only to come face to face with a dragon who then informed him it was his destiny to save said prat from harm of any kind as he was the once and future king that would bring the golden age to Camelot.

At first the warlock was sceptical and so scoffed the dragon's claims only to go and save the prince from an angry witch whose son had been killed on the same day the feast celebrating an anniversary of the purge was taking place, he had then been elevated from simple physician apprentice to the princes royal servant and the rest had been history.

It had been hard those on going years watching more of his people being executed for the harmless act of either using magic or having been born with it, he had knew that if the king ever knew of his magic then he would have been counted as one of the higher offenders and killed there and then, something of which had his anger rising on occasion.

It wasn't his or other who had been born that way, it was like having a birthmark, he didn't ask for it no one did, it chose him and knowing that having something equal to having the blood in his veins flow through his body would be enough to bring his death, had him wishing that sometimes Uther would just get hit by those who constantly attacked.

Of course he had seen the bad sides and those that did come close enough to hurt either royal but he couldn't help but sympathise with them, they had spent their entire lives running and hiding, being classed as an animal and should be slaughtered on sight if unlucky enough to be caught, of course he could see why they had attacked. Uther had driven them to it.

They should have just as much right to live as non-magical people, should have the same respect and trust as they had, and maybe have their gifts revered instead of feared. But no,

All thanks to one miss guided man whose delusional mind and unresolved grief turned to spending the last twenty years of his life trying to remove a force which as bind so intricately into the very earth, was like trying to remove the mountains which ran along the earth's surface. He might have been able to chip away some of the top, get rid of the stone that was on show but as much as he tried he could never ever fully be rid.

And that was why he was moulding Arthur, the young prince was taught almost at the age when he could fully listen that magic was an abomination and that it was ok to kill those with it,

He had been taught it was the thing that killed his mother and so he followed his father's orders and did just that scouring the kingdoms lands and even beyond if the older royal heard of whisper hear or a rumour there about magic being used, he had no qualms about sending the prince to go and get rid of it, almost to the point of waging war with other kingdom's for trespassing.

At it wasn't getting better, many a nights Merlin had spent talking with the great dragon, talking about how no matter what he said or how he tried, magic would now and always be outlawed, with Uther shaping his son's mind and the way the attacks kept happening Arthur would see magic as something to be wiped out, not something that could be regarded or that could help with things like food, disease, the lands and many other things.

The large creature told him that his time would come the golden age would flourish, and that he along with Arthur would be the one's to bring magic back to the lands that needed it back. And because of it, the broken land of Albion would be united once more.

He sighed and complained but until Arthur was actually king and had the power to make a difference, he had to stand back and watch as Uther killed more of his kind.

He may not have the power to do anything about it just yet, but that didn't mean he couldn't give Arthur a nudge in the right direction every now and then.

He had taken a back seat and had prevented the prince's death more times than he cared to count, it was all for the greater good, he didn't like having to stop and even sometimes end the lives of people he called his own but if Arthur was to have any chance of bringing about what he and the dragon had talked of then he needed to live at all costs.

He longed for that day, when he could finally reveal his truth self to all those he lived and had made friends with, sure it will be a shock to all those who knew him and he couldn't help but wonder what Arthur's reaction would be like, he knew it wouldn't be good at first, he liked to think that in the three years he had been living in the castle and had served the prince that they had a good rapport, one that was much better than any other servant and master that much he was certain.

Dare he say it even …..Friends?

Hurt, anger betrayal. That he knew was going to be the initial reaction. But once he got Arthur to listen to tell him, even show him that magic wasn't bad it was the person who wielded it and their actions that dictated people's opinions of it; he would finally see that his father had been wrong all along, then his and Arthur's destiny could truly begin.

He might have had friends amongst the court fellow servants, like Gwen and even a few of the knight's though he chose to keep his company with the people he worked with he did at times miss his home, and so with permission from Arthur he set off for a week to visit his mother. She always liked it when he came home and often worried for his health….And his life.

She knew sending him to a place where one accidental slip could mean his powers being exposed and his end but she had no choice, he had used magic from an extremely early age and she hadn't a clue of what to do, she herself hadn't a drop of magic in her and so was more than shocked at seeing her furniture hovering in the air when she came back from getting the crops one day.

She had spent many a sleepless night wondering what to do, she had no idea on how to help her son whose magic grew stronger and already guessed that her neighbours where getting suspicious, she had to keep him safe and finally decided that the only choice she had was to send him to her old friend.

She was the only one she knew who had magic, he might not practise it anymore and had repented, but he still had a lot more knowledge then she ever would and so knew that was the only option. It pained her to send her only boy to a place where he might only get ostracized by the other people who had heard Uther's ranting's and to were fearful, but to a place where he could very well end up on a pyre.

It scared her more than anything but it had to be done, his magic would end up out of control and she didn't even want to know what might happen if word got out, it might have been Uther or Cenred, the king of where she lived.

She had been so happy on seeing him home and had made his favourites of everything as a welcoming home surprise. He loved his week there and spent it relaxing taking in all he missed and catching up with his old friends, well the only ones who hadn't been afraid of him and just relished the open space that came with living in the country, he loved his second home and the people that dwelled there but at times he did feel smothered and so had gladly came home for a reprieve.

But also his time to return to Camelot had come and after an endless farewell from his mother he had set off back across the boarders and on his way home. He did miss the court a bit; he missed talking to Gwen and the others, and he was anxious to get back to Arthur, if the prince hadn't of insisted he take this admittedly much needed to break then he never would have left.

But he did and he was thankful for it but now was ready to return more energized and fully concentrating on saving the prat's arse once more, it had been two days of travelling now and after a nights rest he set off again and was almost upon the last town before coming up to the castle, if he had been paying attention to the to quiet path through the forest he would have indeed noticed that it was silent.

No birds, calling no wildlife roaming no nothing, but he was too preoccupied with thoughts that it slipped by and so he carried on little knowing that people was watching.

They had hidden along the trail and had laid out a trap, they knew that he would have to come this way as it was the only way through and so had been lying in wait. Of course they knew that it would be him as they had spent pretty much the entire week watching him they knew who he was, had heard all about him and right now the lanky, pale man getting ever closer was worth a lot to them.

They had been hired by persons unknown for the sole task of capturing Emrys, or Merlin as he was known as, of course being mercenaries for hire they had to ask what they were getting out of it and demanded to know who they were working for, both questions were answer with a single swing of a sword and the man's head next to them go flying in the air. They would get paid when the task was done…And it would be worth it.

So this is how they came to be hiding behind trees watching Merlin make his way to them.

Still in a world of his own he glanced around taking in the scenery and smiled, he liked the outdoors and just being peace, he bent down and patted the horses neck as it whinnied at him they were almost home, he would go and tell Gaius that his mother said hi before going to see Arthur. No doubt the prince had missed him purely for his help, even if he did say he was the most incompetent servant going.

Very carefully two of the men moved from in the shadows and began fiddling with the ropes that connected to the large pulled back branch, they planned to make it a quick capture as they knew he was strong and so only had the one chance to surprise him, the people who gave them the task ordered them not to hurt him as he was worth more unharmed and alive to them if they managed it, and so decided on this route.

They waited with baited breath as he ambled ever closer to their hiding places and with a few nods to the others hiding on the other side as they moved into position they let go of the rope and strained to hold on the branch that would knock him from his horse, the crunching of twigs and leaves told them that he was there and so with one final look they jumped back and let go of the branch.

Merlin looked up just in time at the horses whinny to see the branch come from nowhere but not enough to stop it and was thrown back as it smacked into him hard and the stallion under him reared up in freight as the warlock was sent flying sideways, he slammed hard into the trees to the left of him and fell to the floor winded as his horse cantered away leaving him in the clearing, he struggled to get his breath and was taking in deep breaths as the men came out of their hiding places.

He looked up on hearing noise and saw three huge blacked leather clad men stalking to him, he immediately knew them to be bandits and so got shakily to his feet ready to blast them back. He held out his hand and was about to summon his magic when a noise right next to him had him looking around before a pain collided with his head and his world went dark.

The men smiled as they watched him get hit in the head by one hiding in the trees behind him and falling to the floor limp and unmoving, they drew their swords and moved over to where he lay, he may have looked skinny in appearance but from what they heard they took no chances and so was ready in case he was faking but as one hit his leg with his boot, he was knocked out.

They chuckled darkly as one bent down and with a tug, pulled him up and flung him over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing at all which he really didn't, and set off walking back to where they had their own transport hidden, ready to take him back to where they had been told to drop him off and ready to collect their reward.

* * *

**I hope everyone liked it, i would really like to get people's opinion's on it as it's starting off so...Wether it's worth carrying on was it good, bad does it need improving or anything like that.**

**It would mean a lot and i do value other's critique so please, if you can leave a little comment letting me know, and if all goes well i shall have the next chapter up soon.**

**:)**


	2. Feast's and First Fight's

**Wow, a big thank you to all those that have already alerted, reviewed and favourited this story, wasn't sure if this was worth carrying on with but people proved me wrong.**

**Here it is as promised the second chapter,**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

_One week earlier _

"Merlin you need a holiday"

The servant in question raised his head from where he was busy polishing the prince's armour, he gazed over at the blonde haired man his look of surprise quickly turning to a look of weariness as he did a once over of the royal's appearance as he determined if he was joking or not.

Arthur smirked in amusement knowing all too well what the other man was doing and so spoke up, "Seriously Merlin, I'm saying you do need to take some time off, it would do you some good."

Still not entirely convinced of the prat's sudden generosity, he put down the cloth he was using and made his way over to lean against the wooden bed post all the while still keeping his narrowed gaze on the other man.

"You still don't believe me do you," And had to laugh at the immediate shaking of his servants head, as he nodded his own.

"Well I guess the many other times I've teased you have led to this" He said as Merlin smiled and nodded slowly as the blonde haired man looked up again.

"But I'm serious this time, you do need a break" He added more seriously, "You look like your about to keel over and I can't have that" He said as the other man smiled.

"Do you care that much for me sire….I knew you would eventually" At this Arthur just scoffed and moved behind the screen to start getting ready for bed.

"Don't flatter yourself Merlin I'm more worried about having to explain why my servant ended up in my chamber dead"

The warlock's face fell flat as the prince's cloths dropped from the top of the screen and he lunged to catch them.

"….I'm touched, sire." He said through gritted teeth as the blonde haired man came back round now in his sleep clothes and smiled patting his head as he went.

"I figured as much….It's just how I'm, the kindest prince you'll ever know."

Making his way up to the physician's chambers/ his room clutching the spot on his head where Arthur had threw a cup at him or snorting at his comment of generosity, he had bade the prince goodnight and grumbled all the way up to the top of the tower as he pushed open the door still grumbling to find Gaius busy serving supper. He glanced up to see the younger man and smiled at the scowl the warlock was sporting.

"Arthur being his ever pleasing self I take it" The physician asked as Merlin looked to him and scoffed moving around the amused older man to take his seat on the other side of the table watching his uncle pour the broth into two bowls.

"He threw a cup at me"

"What for now?" He asked exasperated at what the lanky man did to endure the assault this time.

Merlin looked at him with an expression of disbelief, "He started it, I was just minding my own business and getting on with what the PRAT asked me to do when next thing I know, I'm getting attacked by silverware."

Shaking his head the older man pushed the bowl in front of the muttering sorcerer and sat down opposite him taking up his spoon and watching him still complain before urging him to eat,

"So what did Arthur _think_ you did to deserve such an honour" Merlin gave him a little look before picking put his spoon and after swallowing the first spoonful of soup, spoke.

"He thinks I scoffed at his generosity."

At this Gaius looked up and stared at him for a few minutes before speaking.

"And did you," Merlin, mid eating, stopped his motion with his spoon in his mouth and looked up about to give him another harder glare and a scoff only to see the scrutinizing gaze the older man had mastered so well and nodded finishing the mouthful he had.

"I did"

The older man sighed and nodded knowing that was exactly what he expected Merlin to have done before asking,

"And why did you scoff at his…Generosity?"

The raven haired man smiled at the hesitation the physician had whilst asking before replying.

"Because I didn't believe him."

The older man listened as Merlin went into detail about all that had happened in the prince's chamber's, leading up to the moment Arthur had offered him time off.

Merlin sat back and crossed his arms a pleased smirk splayed over his face as he took in Gaius's questioning look at the end,

"He gave you a week off" The other man nodded.

"A week"

"Yep"

"A whole week"

"That's what he said"

"Why?"

Merlin pursed his lips before speaking again.

"He said I looked tired, I was almost dead on my feet and that break would do me good."

Gaius looked at her warlock and seeing the look he now wore and nodded his head slowly, he knew all too well just what Arthur meant so maybe his offer was genuine. Merlin had been running himself ragged for a while now and for once it wasn't concerning the royals, it had all started a month back he couldn't remember what day exactly but it was just like any other Merlin keeping an eye out for any stray attacks as Uther had organized a feast and as they both knew any celebration's was the perfect opportunity for an attack.

The warlock had been hiding in the background keeping his eyes open serving the prince when he needed and just making sure nothing happened when the jug he had been holding became empty and he needed to go and refill before Arthur got annoyed, he moved over to the royal table and muttered to the prince who nodded and allowed him to leave as he slipped out from the other side and down to the stores to get more wine.

He was busy pouring more wine from the barrel into his jug and was solely focused on the task as the nozzle as tricky to move and so didn't hear the door opening as someone entered the room. He heard the door slam shut and looked around to see the closed door as his eyes swept over the room. He kept his eyes lingering for a few more minutes before turning back to his task.

He finished filling up the jug as he placed the cap back on and lifted the heavy pottery before turning around and having to jump back immediately, as he came upon another in the room, a man who was moving closer to him and had a sword in his hand. He let his gaze roam over his opponent and saw he was a burly man; he didn't look like any he had seen in the court and so guessed that he had come with the travelling visitors.

He backed up further into the room as the other man stepped over closer a malicious grin over his face as he clutched the weapon tighter ready to use it, Merlin narrowed his gaze as he took a small glance around him to the closed door, he needed to get out and warn Arthur in case he was here to try and attack them. Clutching the jug tighter in his left hand he was about to let his magic out when the man in front of him suddenly swung out forcing him to duck.

He moved around to the shelf putting the towering stand in front of them as he dodged the side swipes the other man tried to take at him. He stumbled over a loose bottle on the floor and almost fell as he looked down kicking the bottle to the side before looking back up only to pale as the man had moved around the other side and was on the same side as him and once again moving forwards.

He tripped as he moved back using the jug to try and keep him away before realizing it wasn't before bumping into something solid behind him and looking back only to find himself trapped against the wall. He turned to see the smirking man chuckle evilly as he came closer and so raised his hand again ready to use his magic only to watch as a jug suddenly fell on the other man's head and he fell limply to the floor.

He looked up to see what had caused the occurrence only to grin in relief as he came across Gwen who was staring wide eyed at the unconscious man done by her hand before being pulled sharply by Merlin as they both ran to the door stepping over the mess made and locking it behind them as they rushed back to the feast, Arthur spotted them both and was a mixture of amused and annoyed at what was taking his manservant so long before opening his mouth and about to berate him when he came over to him only to fall silent as he took in what the other man was saying.

His face fell, the amused annoyance replaced by a firm seriousness, and as soon as Merlin finished the prince stood as Uther looked over at the sudden move by his son as the blonde haired man turned to tell him what had happened.

The king ordered Arthur to go and apprehend the man immediately taking with him three knights as he nodded and the guests, knowing that something had happened watched as the three went out of the hall by the double doors swords at their sides. Muttering as the king stood and raised his hands ordering for calm.

Arthur went to the store cellar's to indeed find the man Merlin had said attacked him still knocked out from Gwen's own attack before moving and pulling him to his feet, the two knights moved to take his arms as they dragged him from the stores and to the dungeons. Arthur watched personally before returning to the feast reporting that the problem had been taken care of.

But that was only the start of it, once the feast had ended Arthur had gone back to the cells were the man was now awake and asked him what his purpose for attacking his man servant was, only to get no response. The hired bandit had been told under no circumstances if caught, to tell the prince or any knight nothing of his mission, he had asked why but was informed that whatever punishment the prince of Camelot gave wouldn't be any were near the level that he would receive if he failed.

With that I mind he didn't want to know what might happen and as he was sitting in the cells of Camelot and not on his way to the boarder without Emrys, it was very clear he had failed and so now the only thing he could do was to remain mute.

And Arthur tried he did all he could to extract the information but to his frustration the man didn't say a word, and so after informing his father of the unexpected events, Uther raged before he gave the order for his execution. If he wasn't going to be of use and tell them who sent him to attack them then he had no more purpose for living.

With the death of the bandit swift and easily handled Merlin went back to his normal duties without any more thought to it.

But as the rest of the month went on more and more attacks came and as he did his best to fend them off it became clear to him and Gaius a little while later, that it wasn't the royals these people were after. But him.

Wondering what they could possibly want with a simple serving man, granted he was the prince's servant but he had already worked out by the fourth attack that it wasn't Arthur they were after. He had worked himself tirelessly to try and find who they were and what they wanted with him, each night he went out to the tavern to try and find any information he could, maybe somebody knew something or even the men themselves.

Each time he had come back empty handed and lost more sleep because of it, the physician could see the dark rings under his eyes become more prominent and more than once told him to try and take it easy, take a rest. They hadn't caught him yet and one day of recovering would do him well.

Eventually even Arthur had noticed his fatigue at first he made light hearted fun of him, attempting to cheer him up, but nice he realized that something was wrong and that it was causing him tiredness, it became less funny and more of a concern. He didn't like to admit it, and would deny it if asked but he did consider Merlin a well not friend, he would never tell him that, but a good man servant, loyal, always there when he needed him. Even when he turned up late.

With both Gaius and now the prince telling him to rest he had to concede and give in, forgoing yet another trip to the tavern in favour of his bed and was thankful of it the next day but it still didn't solve his problem. And after yet another try he was almost at his limit, he had to find out before sooner or later they were successful in their attempts.

Two weeks had gone and with only one attempt in the past fortnight he began to relax a little, he had been on guard pretty much from the moment he awoke to the moment he, well when he slept, and so was glad of the reprieve, maybe they had finally took note of that fact that they were unsuccessful each time.

Which was what led him to having the conversation turned target practise with Arthur that night, even though he had been getting a little more sleep and was able to stand without dozing off during breakfast the prince was still not convinced that he was fully rested and so broached the subject with hi servant with as usual was met with disbelief and scoffing.

But once the other man realized that the prince was serious in his offer his behaviour changed from jokey to serious as he refused, Arthur was stunned at the dismissal but didn't take any heed of it and so offered again only to be met with the same rejection. This time asking why the raven haired man simply shrugged and told him that he liked what he did, he had rested plenty and didn't need to take time off.

But the more Arthur insisted the more Merlin pushed and so it came to the day when the prince ordered his servant to take time off and wouldn't accept any of the help he did, the warlock laughed in shock but found Arthur to be serious even going as far as hiring another servant for the duration of the week he had been given. That led him to ranting to Gaius about the cheek of him only to have the older man laugh lightly at his complaints and said that it might be the only time that he would ever get and as he repeatedly said over supper, Arthur was never generous, so take the offer whilst it was there.

Merlin had more to complain about but when Gaius suggested going to see his mother he stopped, he hadn't seen her in more than a year and so decided this week was a good thing, the physician could only shake his head at the oddness that Merlin sometimes did as he went to pack leaving his to get on with his medicine.

Soon afterwards Merlin was setting off, he stopped by the prince's chambers just to check on him only to see Fred, the replacement seeing to him, he looked on petulantly as the shorter man tended to the prince's chores and setting out his clothes for the day, he was just mocking the new man and was about to leave when Arthur spotted him and he had to force a smile on his face as they spoke.

After what seemed a lifetime of Fred giving Merlin the evil eye he was allowed to leave and so set off to the stables to get his horse before going back to return the glare and once out of the court and in the forest he couldn't help but let out a sigh, he was going home to see his mother be out in the country once more, catch up with his old friends and the best of all, he had a week of no hard labour with random objects thrown at him.

They were right he needed this, and when he got back he was going to tell Gaius just how right he was, but not Arthur. It would only make his over inflated head swell to even more disproportional sizes, and he had enough trouble with his belts, he didn't need to have to alter the prince's crown as well.

He was going to enjoy this week look forward to his mum's home cooked food he missed so much and just take it easy get the rest he need and for once, not have to worry about anyone trying to for still reasons unknown attack him.

Cantering on through the forest he was in his own little world hoping to make it to at least the second village before nightfall and then on to the boarder the next day, happy with his little plan he picked up the pace and carried on not once realizing that he was being spied on, as three people moved from behind the trees and watched as he made his way through the forest before smiling to themselves and waiting before they followed on after.

* * *

**Second chapter done,** **third one in the work's so hopefully have that up soon, reviews much appreciated again i do value people's opinion's on this story and they do help with the shaping and so would love to hear what people think.**

**Again another big thank you to all those who have and i hope you all enjoy reading the story as it goes along.**

**:)**


	3. Special Delivery

**New chapter already, this was sitting there and i knew i would forget it so i decided to put it up sooner rather then later...Enjoy.**

* * *

Merlin awoke to a blinding headache which throbbed inside his skull and was refusing to let up its grip making him squint just to try and relieve the tension, he gingerly lifted his head to look around only to find himself in a darkened dungeon cell, much like the one's back in Camelot. But the worst one's for the more dangerous prisoner. Still taking in his surroundings he shifted slightly only to hear the sound of rattling and looked down as a heavy weight pressing on his writs told him that they were chained to the wall behind him.

'Oh great' he thought bitterly as he straightened up to a more comfortable position and tried to remember the last thing he could before he ended up here, after a while and a lot more squinting he was annoyed that he came up with nothing, maybe the pain had took more of a tighter hold then he thought and was effecting his memory, sighing out he shook his hands uselessly in front of him and dropped them on his knees in reluctant defeat.

After a few minutes he looked up and mentally scolded himself for not remembering sooner, really whoever it was that hit him had a powerful swing, he head magic. He could just take the chains off easily, looking down he focused on the chains and muttered the words

"_Onlucan þas racenteag"_

He waited for the chains to fall down around him but to his dismay, they didn't, they remained tightly wrapped around his body as he tried again but to the same result,

'Marvellous, now how do I get out if this?' he sat back down and decide to think of ways on how to get out of his predicament, only for him to abandon that plan in favour of trying scratch his leg that had suddenly become very itchy,

Finally he managed to soothe the itch irritating him and he got back to his original plan….But that failed, he was still thinking twenty minutes later until the sound of a lock scraping had him looking up as the door opened and two men stepped in, they looked down to where the warlock was chained and grinned as they saw him up,

"Ah finally looks like our little sleeping sorcerer has finally woken" They teased, Merlin glared as they came stomping down most likely taking him somewhere he took in there mostly leather clad attire and rough northern sounding speaking tone and deducted they didn't come from anywhere near Camelot. Which made him fear slightly as he felt himself being pulled up as the chains were taken off only to be replaced by cuffs around his wrists, no doubt made with the same metal in which the chains were forged and so would be immune to his magic to.

Dragging him up the steps he was pulled out into a corridor as they pulled him down and away from his cell, most likely not to anywhere better improved as he looked around, if he could see something familiar then maybe he could work out where he was but to his ever worrying mind, nothing came to him but as he glance to his guards something did, he remembered the moment's just before he blacked out.

The one on the left was in front of him, he was backing him up into a tree and trying to trap him, he narrowed his gaze trying to work out more and it hit him, well more like a sword did the hilt to be precise. Someone had jumped him at his side and knocked him out with the end of their sword. That explained his pounding headache and fuzzy memory still trying to figure out what it is they could want he was jerked upright as they came to a stop at the end and in front of some heavy looking double doors.

Licking his dry lips he watched as the two at his sides waited until the doors opened and tried to look through as they slowly parted for them to reveal a huge hall which he was dragged through again as they made their way across. The empty room and to another set of double doors this time just pushing these ones open and striding right through.

Still not knowing where they were taking him he kept silent up until he felt the air get more colder and knew that they must have been near an entrance, a few minutes later he was proved right as they came out into a blistering cold wind that whipped around them, it was night that much he knew as he took in the court that they had now come out into.

There was snow everywhere, and they trudged through the deep drift as they moved across the yard as more people, bandits moved back and forth. He looked around confusion on his face as now more questions came to him.

'Just where the hell was he

And where had all these people come from?

Coming to a stop he was forcibly pushed to a standstill as he looked around and saw that they had come to stand in front of a wagon as the men dragging him, one had moved to the front speaking to the driver and the other had gone to the back, to the attached carriage and was unlocking the closed area, he used the momentary release to take another quick look around at the people moving across the court….At the bandits.

The more he looked at them the more he was thinking, he had seen bandit's a few journeys with Arthur had them fighting off more than once scores of mercenaries and men trying to make a few coin's but as he took in their appearance he noticed something very prominent. These didn't look like any bandits that he had seen before.

These where huge, big beasts of men and the one's he saved Arthur from on occasion sure they were dangerous, but nowhere near this physical size and stature, some of them or more or less all, looked like Percival, the biggest knight out of the lot and men like him were not so easy to come by most often than not but these, it looked like they could have been Percival's long lost family the way they all stood so tall together.

Wondering just what part of Albion they originated he didn't see the first coming back from speaking to the person driving the carriage before he felt himself being forcibly pushed to the end were the other was waiting, door open and another smile on his face before he was roughly shoved into the back of the carriage which turned out to be more of a cage, as he sat himself upright and turned to face the others who were laughing at him.

"If I'm to be treated like this at least tell me where the hell I'm going," He spoke for the first time that night as he looked from one to the other still grinning at him before the first lent down and spoke back.

"You're going far away from here, this was only a stop, whoever wants you didn't want you dead so we had to wait, very insistent that you remain alive." He looked to his companion and smirked again.

"Burt from what we hear, that's not always a good thing, not at least for you anyway." They laughed again as he swallowed the lump in his throat before speaking once more.

"And just where is it that I'm going?" They gave each other a small glance before shrugging and slamming the door shut locking the cage and giving another man who had come up to them the key,

"You'll find out soon enough" They said before leaving him alone as he glanced around the frozen courtyard taking in the large men as they moved around seemingly busy, he leaned over and tried to see what it was they were doing or what they were pulling to a fro but the sudden jerking of the cart told him that they were off and suddenly a cover was pulled down shrouding him in darkness and blocking his line of sight as he guessed that the next location he was being taken to was a secret and so settled down for what seemed like a very long trip.

What seemed like forever, and in Merlin's case it was, they finally came to a stop. The cart rolled to a standstill as he sat up and looked around a little bleary eyed. He had fallen asleep and so only awoke when he felt them still, he could hear talking and movement outside before the cover was yanked from the cage and he lifted his hands to shield his eyes from the sunlight that washed over him.

They moved around tending to the other masses of carts that had been pulled along leaving him left in the cage as he slowly got used to the light enough to take in his new surroundings, they had travelled through the forest that much he knew because he could still the large tress a few hundred feet away from them, it was no longer snowing, so he guessed that they must have left the north which he was thankful for, the cold really did nothing for him in his thin clothes and jacket.

But as he gazed around he had, once again, no idea where he had ended up. The only thing he could see was the clearing they had stopped in and that wasn't enough to give him an exact location. He sighed if only Arthur was here, he was good at locating and things he would know something like this in less than a few minutes, he really needed to start paying attention to the little things Arthur taught him.

That's if he managed to get out from here that is, the only thing he had going for him was his magic and even that had been taken from him, it was a little over an hour when someone finally came for him. He had expected the same grinning idiots to come and drag him off to parts unknown but to his surprise, no one did, they went about their tasks and left him to think.

Not that he got much thinking done; he did a bit of that as they were on the move. He had a few plans in mind but each one he managed to find cons for as well as pro's and so knew they would be no good, he did entertain the idea of calling for the dragon, both Kilgharrah and Aithusa would be able to hear him but he really did hope that the larger dragon told the white to stay back, she was still only a baby and didn't want her hurt in all of this.

That seemed like his best plan his only plan, and was about to call for him only to stop and realize that he couldn't, he suddenly remembered that his magic had been blocked by the cuffs he wore and so highly doubted that if his magic couldn't work then his dragon lord powers wouldn't either and so it would just be him shouting out in a foreign language to nothing in particular making him look and sound crazy.

So when they finally did come for him he had no less any plans that would actually help him then he did an hour ago, it wasn't the same one's as before but they were still rough in their handling as they pulled him from his moveable cell and pushed him onwards to walk, he got only about four paces when he was pulled to as top once more.

"Now what" He said angrily turning around, he may have been a prisoner with some unknown and beast like mercenaries but that didn't mean he still liked being pulled and pushed all the time, he glared at them as one smirked as he looked at them and before he had time to ask why his vision went dark again, he took a few seconds to realize that no pain accompanied the blackout and for him to see that they had merely covered his head with a bag or some type.

Wondering why he didn't have time to think as once again he was turned and pushed on, they travelled for a while with the warlock stumbling occasionally with his captives pulling him upright non to gently as they carried on walking, they took rest about half an hour in as Merlin was shoved roughly down to a rock to sit as they did, his feet hurt, normally a half an hour walk was nothing to him but then again normally he had his sight and wasn't tripping over random objects every few minutes fumbling his way down to his shoes he rubbed the aching limbs as best he could as he waited until they moved again.

About five minutes later he was jerked upright and pushed on as he knew they were on walking once more and carried on blindly trying to listen to the sounds of the people in 4rotn of him.

Eventually after another good half an hour they finally came to another stop, this time he hoped it was permanent as he was sure his feet were blistered to the bone, he strained to hear the noises and mutterings they were saying before his vision was returned to him as the cover they had used was pulled from his head, he looked around to see where they hid taken him now only to find that the new area was entirely different of that from the first.

This place was cold, and mist clouded everything making it impossible for him to see anything. But as he was poked in the back he did managed to look up and take in the he mountain that towered over them, it looked in the dark background making it eerie and ominous, he sighed, nothing good ever came from eerie and ominous.

They took him through the opening to the huge mountain via a cave as he walked he could see light at the end as they got nearer he came out into a vast cavern that was lit up, he took in the unending chamber in front of him and saw the huge crowds down at the bottom, just like back in the snowy fortress these seemed like the same type as before but where had they come from?

They made their way to the bottom as he looked around, the noise around him was that of clanking steel as he looked and saw men, blacksmith's making and forging out the weapon's as he spotted more in piles at the sides he gazed at the blades to the sides of him and wondered why they were making them, and for what reason before they came to the end and he found himself in the middle of the cave.

He saw people staring at him and swallowed uncomfortably as they leered, the chains rattled against his hands as he looked around before turning to face the front as a man smaller then the rest came up to them he took in his appearance and knew that he wasn't a bandit, he didn't have the size for it or the looks of one as he stopped in front of the visitors and grinned toothily at them.

'Trader'

The smaller man looked from one to the other before coming to rest his eyes on the warlock in the middle of them as he gave him a look before moving forwards, Merlin fought the urge to kick out as the other man moved around him humming and murmuring before stopping in front again and looking the man at the side of him.

"So is this him then?" He asked as the raven haired man looked questioningly at him before turning his head as the large man nodded, wondering what they meant his eyes widened when he spoke.

"We watched him at the small village, saw him use magic, it's him."

They had been watching him; he gazed at the in horror when they revealed that bit of information as they laughed evilly on seeing the expression he wore.

How long had they been doing that? How did he not notice anything suspicious, he was there for a whole week and nothing caught his eye that shouldn't…..How did they know where he came from…..Oh no his mother!

He looked up again plain terror on his face if they had been watching him then that meant they also knew who his mother was, if they wanted they could go and harm her. She was innocent, he heard the laughter grow louder as they looked at him finally catching on and his horror turned to anger at the thought of them hurting his mother he glared at them if they did anything to his harmless mother he didn't care, he didn't care how long it took or that he had magic blocking cuffs on once they were off or he found a way to escape he would make them all pay.

Still laughing they pulled him forwards walking behind the smaller man as they led him off to another opening at the other side and on to a dark passageway further into the mountain they went until at last they came to a steep slope of steps which they went down to the bottom as Merlin looked on to find a bunch of cells. They moved down to the furthest one as he unlocked the door and he was unceremoniously pushed through.

He stumbled and fell to the floor as he strained to pick himself up, he glanced around as the door was shut and he was bathed in darkness only a small light at the end giving of a dimly lit glow. It was small, with just enough room to move quiet, no chance of any interaction. And from the looks of it he wasn't going to get a chance to have any, apart from the pushing and the shoving they kept far away from him as possible, and so if they did that on the way then it was most likely they wasn't going to be visiting him down here.

He looked around his at that moment new home, and the only words he could come up with were.

It really was a hole in the wall.

Thinking about his bleak situation he slid down to the floor and pondered on just why he was here and how was he getting out.

The small trader man the huge burly ones behind him had moved back out into the hall when they locked Merlin in his cell but took a different path as they came to another room and entered, this one this time was a meeting room as the smaller man went behind a make shift desk and took his seat staring at the two men who had shut the door after him and moved up to stand in front of him.

"We got the little runt, we want our money" The first spoke gruffly as the other had his hand on the hilt of his sword as they both stared down menacingly at him he crossed his hands together and gave them a little glance with a raised eyebrow before he nodded his agreement before waiting a few seconds before leaning back and opening a drawer at the bottom as he pulled out a huge bag which he dropped on to the desk with the sound resounding around the room as the men grinned with the heavy noise it made, that was good, it meant the bag was full.

The first lent over and was about to snatch it up when resistance in the force of a dagger had him pull back as they looked to see the smaller man clutching the sharp blade before stabbing it near the bag,

"What are you doing" One asked as he merely gave a small smile as he went to get the bag again only to stop once more as he stabbed the knife down once more.

"Insolent little fuck!" The other snarled as they both got angry, "Do it again and we'll kill you,"

The smaller man just chuckled at the sight and twirled the blade in his hands before sitting upright and speaking.

"But of course, by all means take it, you've more than earned it" He said smiling as they glanced at each other before reaching out again moving slowly in case he tried to stop them again but he just held his hand out and smiled allowing the first to pick up the bag and place it on his belt before they stood back up straight and looked at each other for a few more minutes and then with a grunt and a nod of his head ordered the other to move as they turned to leave.

"But of course" The trader began just as they opened the door and was about to leave making them turn back once more and he smiled more widely

"If you want, there is a way for you to double your money."

They stood at the entrance staring at him cautiously as he sat in his seat before giving each other small looks and moving back into the room again shutting the door once more.

"but that's entirely up to you," He spoke a little condescending tone as they stood back in front of him, they glared down still menacingly but he paid no heed as he lent back down and lifted a second bag just as heavy as the first but held on to it,

"With this you don't have to share, you could have one each" He said grinning widely as they were silent before the first one grunted,

"What do we have to do?"

He sat back in his chair smirking at them before reaching behind and pulling out a long roll of paper before laying it on the desk and spreading it out, standing up he leant over the desk as the two on the over side followed his movement to see that they were staring at a large map,

"This" He said pointing to the expanse of the small drawings, "Is the entire land of Albion, everywhere from Mercia to Caerleon and everything in between."

They looked down letting their gaze roam over the map before pulling back facing him once more.

"So what are we to do now?"

Placing his hands firmly on the table he looked down for a second before sighing out long and slowly, they waited a few second's in silence wondering if he was going to talk when the sudden thud had them jumping a little and looked back to the map to find the dagger he had been playing with now sticking into the paper, leaning over they could see it had covered a spot with an image on it and so looked closer to find it was a small island.

"The sea of Meredor" The smaller man spoke making them look to him.

"Or more importantly, the home to the isle of the blessed,"

Seeing the looks of confusion on their faces he fought the urge to roll his eyes and carried on explaining.

"It's an island that back before Camelot's great purge, was home to the strongest magic and the high priestesses."

They nodded as he continued,

"But ever since old king Uther went mad and was hell bent on destroying everything magical, there hasn't been anything living on that isle for more than twenty years, it's completely deserted." He looked up with small smile, "Or so Uther think's"

They listened and watched as he sat back in his chair, "But according to a few of my trusty little spies, there has been sightings of life indeed dwelling on the so called abandoned isle,"

Taking up an apple from the bowl at the edge he bit into it and looked up to them again.

"There is something or rather someone, important on that isle that our little friends wish to have, and they have said they are willing to pay the same amount as before just like for Emry's, if you are willing to make another little trip."

He chewed the apple slowly watching their expressions as they glanced at the map and the small island in the middle of the sea deliberating on whether or not it was worth it, then to the huge bag of coins lying on the table next to the map and then to each other, before muttering quietly then to him as he lifted his head smiling as he waited their reply.

"We'll do it."

He smiled widely and nodded slowly standing up and throwing the apple to the side as he came around the desk and stood next to them.

"Perfect, now you know what to do,"

He reached up and placed both his hands on their shoulders and steered them to the door, "Same as before, once you find her bring her here."

"Her?" The second grunted as he hummed and nodded,

"Did I not say, oh right yes, it's a woman or sorceress and more to be exact the last high priestess in all of Albion, hmm apparently just as popular as our little warlock friend down here so they really would like it if we brought both to them."

He walked them outside into the hallway as they turned to face him,

"But how do we know which is her" Again he fought to urge to eye roll instead gave them a charming smile,

"She's the only one there; trust me I think you'll know." He patted their backs as they moved off down the hall now with new orders as he watched them go and shouted down to them.

"And I know she's a sorceress and all but try not to hit her like you did Merlin, I don't need two damaged goods." He yelled as they stopped.

"But how do we capture her then" He shrugged,

"I don't know improvise or something anything just don't hurt her."

He watched them turn the corner and his smile dropped, he shook his head and went back into his room shutting the door, idiots.

If he didn't need their muscle then he would have gotten rid of them ages ago, but as it stood they were good for the leg work and he really didn't fancy going out and being the one's to retrieve what he had been ordered, when he first heard of what it was they wanted he nearly had a heart attack with laughing so much, but then when he learnt they were serious his amusement turned into sympathy.

He didn't know or had seen Emrys take down the people he had personally, but he had heard about it and so wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of anything he gave, and so wasn't expecting his men to return alive…..Or at least if they did with limbs intact. But he was shocked when they brought him in, he had to chuckle at seeing the fabled warlock in front of him he wasn't much a skinny little thing which had him baffled at how many people he had taken out whilst saving that arrogant little sod Arthur.

And now he had the same thoughts with the last high priestess, he didn't know much about her, no one really did, keeping herself of radar was the best way to get around unnoticed by the likes of Uther and Arthur but from what he had heard she was a formidable little thing, very nasty and wasn't above a little torture if the things he had heard were anything to go by.

This time he really didn't expect them to come back or at least together, he had told them not to use the same method they did with Merlin so facing a conscious sorceress who was volatile was going to be tricky, they might have had their weight behind them and size but that really was it. As far as brains went he had often thought they were born without any, and so had to wish them the best of luck on the second half of their job.

It wasn't just the reward he would get when they brought her back….Minus one or two of his best men but curiosity to, no one had really ever seen what she looked like and was a mystery around the five kingdom's and so was looking forward to finally seeing who the last high priestess that like Emrys had them talking.

Sitting back down he had to chuckle they really would do anything for money; he reached over and took a quill from the ink pot on the side as he began writing his letter.

It was just too bad they weren't going to be around to receive it at the end.

* * *

**Comment's are welcomed and any feedback/critique always appriciated. :)**


	4. The Isle Of The Blessed

**Totally forgot to add this but i don't own Merlin...And the way this series is going i'm glad for it.**

**Anyway next chapter, Enjoy **

* * *

Morgana took in a deep breathed and exhaled as she looked out across the isle; she liked coming here for the peace it brought, but she couldn't help take in the sorry state it had fallen into as time went by, what was once a vibrant and beautiful sanctuary was now just a mere rock in the ocean. She closed her eyes as she let her magic connect with the last remaining ebbs that the island held, and her hands clenched into fists at the sides of her.

Uther Pendragon; that murdering butcher had done this, he destroyed the only good thing that she had heard about growing up, he had come here and disrupted the natural order with his blood lust and leaving nothing but chaos and death in his wake.

It still smelt like it to this day, the foul stench of smoke and burnt flesh lingered around the yard like it was permanently trapped here, never being able to leave or rest or let go of the tortured souls of the unlucky priestess, both low and high that had been caught in the onslaught, like they couldn't move on until they had been avenged.

And avenged they will be.

She hadn't known what was happening as a child but as she grew the tales she was told and the horrors of what had occurred stuck in her head and she couldn't help but create images to go with the words, those poor women, she closed her eyes. She may have been lucky as to not have been around at the time but that didn't mean she wasn't any less informed on just why it had happened.

The arrogant king of Camelot, always getting what he wanted, she had learned of him as a child and though she had never seen him she could tell straight away he was someone to fear, someone to stay far away from as possible as he would give no hesitation in sending you to your death. The hundreds possibly thousands he had killed in the space of twenty years, at the time she was only half a year old so too young to be able to know properly but even back then she knew something was wrong.

Sitting around campfires and hearing the tales told to her about the killer king and the warnings that followed didn't make her fear him, far from it, in fact the more times she heard stories about the massacres he ordered the more it hardened her heart until it had turned from a beating muscle to a solid, cold stone. She didn't fear him, she loathed him.

And that only grew over the years along with her anger which she took out on, on unsuspecting patrols from Camelot itself, they didn't know what was coming and she was sure that many of them had families with small children, wives….Even a dog and cat, but so did the ones that they killed, the ones they sliced through without thought and all to appease one man who would no sooner kill them if he was displeased, then the ones with magic.

She heard from villagers that when he spoke he told his peasant's that magic was evil, it corrupted the heart of good people, and that it was a disease that needed to be removed.

She had to laugh, as if anyone could do that, much less that tyrant. Magic could never be removed from the earth, he could get rid of the people that served it and even a few followers but when it came to the pure and strongest of all, he had more chance walking on water before that ever happened.

But that didn't mean to say his actions didn't have consequences as they did, she was standing in the middle of his biggest and it hurt, to see this once thriving, and glorious place reduced to naught but rock and the magic waste away until she could barely feel the life that drove it, oh yes. Uther Pendragon would pay dearly for what he had done.

And he would pay soon.

"Morgana"

She turned to look behind her and smiled as Morgause made her way over to the ledge she had been looking out into the misty sea before sitting next to her.

"So this is where you got to," She said as the younger woman nodded slowly before looking back out. Morgause looked at her and reached out to run her fingers through her long silken hair that she loved as she spoke again.

"Sister why do you come here, you know it only upsets you more when you do." Morgana sighed and nodded again leaning into the touch before replying.

"It's peaceful, it gives me the silence to think and regardless of its condition, it's still a beautiful place to look at." The blonde looked at her again before nodding slowly, she kept her hand on her shoulder as they both looked out over the sea before she looked to the sun setting behind the White Mountains and stood up, brushing her breeches down and holding out her hand.

"Come, the others will be worried." Morgana looked at the water just once more before sighing and accepting the hand as the older woman pulled her to her feet and wrapped her arm around her shoulder as the raven haired woman leant her head on hers.

"It won't always be like this you know" Morgause murmured as her sister nodded,

"I know" She said quietly, "The others might be content to wait but I'm not."

The blonde looked down at her and smiled, she had been fearful that her sister had been like the rest who still cowered by the past, she had been afraid that they had dragged her into believing that waiting until he died was the only way they would at last be free.

She had to scoff at their musings; she may have been brought up to respect her fellow priestesses but that didn't mean she didn't find them to be weak also. She and only one other priestess felt the same.

A natural death they said, his time will come, indeed it would, but him lying in bed drifting away peacefully was never going to be it, that was more than what he deserved. No the only way Uther Pendragon was going was either with a sword through his heart or he felt the pain he had caused so many in the past twenty years before he was killed slowly, that was death befitting a king.

She also had to smirk at the fact that no matter how hard they tried, Morgana still hadn't taken those words of wisdom to heart, she too didn't believe a natural death was good enough for a mass murderer of their kind and so when the rest was either out of the vicinity or asleep, the younger woman had come to her and together they had come up with their own beliefs on how Uther Pendragon should meet his end, and the plans to put them into action.

Which was good to as Morgause was starting to feel horribly outnumbered at the scolding's she got for teaching her sister the opposite of what she had been told, Morgana had smiled though and said that she knew Morgause was letting her hate cloud her judgement. And that when the time came Uther would go when he did, they had smiled and believed that she hadn't been taking what Morgause taught her to literal.

Morgana was one hell of an actress,

It didn't hurt that she was also the youngest either, she might have been twenty one and of age with having her ascension to becoming a high priestess like the rest of them a few months back. But she had grown up being coddled and fussed over by the others and so was still saw as being the baby of the group.

It didn't bother the blonde that the rest fussed about her sister as she was not the jealous type and they had quickly come to know that when she was a child that she didn't like any type of contact, hug form or otherwise. The only person she did make an acceptation for was Morgana with her sometimes being the instigator of affectionate gestures.

They walked slowly across the yard as evening set in as they reached the end of the narrow path coming to a stop at the steps leading to the water's edge, before Morgause uttered the words that had the wind whipping up behind them as they were engulfed and both disappeared from the isle,

They appeared on the other side near the forest. They couldn't be bothered taking the little boat as it was time wasting as they made their way slowly into the dark words manoeuvring through the trees not paying heed to the noises that came with them.

The forest didn't frighten them and hadn't for a very long time, coming here when they were younger it was their playground and so had more or less covered every inch of the ground's surrounding them they knew what was out here and it didn't bother them in the slightest.

They trudged up the hill leading to the clearing that would take them back home as they came out on to the long path as they diverted and headed west, still talking and almost getting to end when suddenly Morgana fell as she was pounced on by an ambush that come upon them. Morgause looked down at the other woman whose face was currently planted into the ground, and then up to the ledge that the attack that come from only to roll her eyes.

Morgana spluttered as she brought her face out of the leaves and was about to lift up, when a weight suddenly stepped on her back and she found it difficult to try and sit,

"Seriously Morgana didn't you tell them that you were only going for a walk?" She heard the blonde ask as she nodded the best she could before rolling over and coming face to face with a large furry one whose eyes were boring into her own, she held its gaze for a few seconds before laughing as it pressed its cold nose to her cheek. The laugh turned into another splutter, as it then let its tongue hang out and licked from the bottom to the top of her face as she closed her eyes and moved her head from side to side.

The older woman rolled her eyes again and the scene before tutting as Morgana then grabbed the furry beings head and pulled it down before rolling over as they tussled, Morgause sighed as then on seeing the play fight unfold a few more furry beings popped out from behind the shrub and joined in the pretend wrestle as now she was staring with mild annoyance at the breakout of a play war which forced her to step back as it nearly rolled into her.

"Really Morgana you shouldn't be lying on the ground like that, and especially with the likes of them." She said with thinly veiled disgust as one came up and growled at her before getting back into the mess in front of her, she sneered before speaking again.

"MORGANA!"

The fight came to a halt as the younger woman looked up from where she was lying with her arms wrapped around her opponents head in a fake headlock as she looked up sheepishly to her unimpressed sister.

"Do I need to tell Mother again?" She mused tilting her head to the side as she huffed and swept around and sauntering off ahead of them leaving the rest on the floor as Morgana gave a small glance to the furry face beside her as it gazed at her intently, seemingly knowing what and who they dubbed, 'the mean one' had said before she shook her head.

"Nuh-uh"

She let go of her captive before scrambling up and running off after her retreating sister leaving the rest to clamber up and take off after her, many things didn't scare her. The dark, the forest, the creatures that lived in it, the Butcher king, her sister's temper. But the one thing that did and she was at pain's that Morgause knew it so well therefore liked to exploit it over her was a telling off from their Mother.

Anything else she could take on….But a lecture from Mummy Fey sometimes had her wishing she took on Uther Pendragon entirely defenseless, it would have been a quicker end.

Catching up to the blonde she couldn't help the childish side that had been silently begging her to come out and so gave in before jumping and catching the other woman off guard, Morgause had been confidently striding through the forest like she owned it, before a weight crashed into her as she went sprawling to the floor mimicking Morgana's action's moments before and face planting the ground.

Breathing in the dirt and wet leaves she was stunned for a minute as she then heard a soft giggling above her and that momentary shock was quickly turning into anger, she used her hands to push herself up from the ground spitting out a leave that had stuck to her mouth in disgust before angrily shouting.

"MORGANA!"

The giggling stopped as the angry woman turned her head and Morgana gave a small gasp at the extremely pissed of expression her sister now bore, before hurriedly scrambling off her back and took off down the path and away from the older woman who was picking herself up from the floor. Just because she didn't fear the blonde's known temper didn't mean she would have liked it directed at her and so was running as fast as she could away before Morgause could retaliate.

Morgause watched her sister run off down the path those wild dogs at her heels as she smirked, she let her get a little further before her eyes flashed gold and the strangled shriek told her she hit her target before sauntering off after her.

Morgana heard the tone the blonde took and so wasn't sticking around and smiled a little as she was almost at the turn off when right in front of her a branch from the tall oak swung out and she didn't have time to stop, as she skittered to a halt but it was too late and it collided with her stomach as she went flying, the wolf behind her ground to a stop before it got any backlash and watched as the young woman was hit with the tree limb, before moving over to her.

Morgana coughed as she hit the ground forcing the breath from her lung's and was to stunned by what had happened to move, she patted the ground attentively before the whining from above had her looking up to see the furry face sniffing the ground near her before it started licking her face. She allowed it to carry on as it was giving its own version of comfort before a sound had her pushing its head away to see a still smirking Morgause now looking down at her.

She appraised her handy work and hummed her triumphant approval satisfied that her revenge had been carried out as Morgana glared at her from on the floor as she ran her hand over the top of the furry head still licking her cheek.

"Morgause!"

The petulant whine had the older woman looking up to her face as she caught the look that Morgana was giving her and had to smirk even more,

"Yes sister?" She asked casually, a brow slightly raised as the younger woman let out a huff and replied.

"What was that for?"

She had to chuckle at the naivety in her tone, hadn't her sister known by now that no one made her look like a fool without suffering the consequences, blood or not, as she quirked her lip,

"You jumped on my back….I was merely repaying the favor"

"Yeah but I didn't do this,"

"You made me fall,

Morgana's eyes widened at the almost childish reply she got, if it hadn't been said with an air of distaste it would have almost have been said by a child,

"You hit me…With a branch" The blonde merely shrugged,

"I nearly swallowed a leaf,"

"I could have been hurt."

"You made me look like a fool"

That was the winning reply as Morgana was about to snap back but stopped as she heard what her sister said and had to admit defeat. How had she not remembered that? It was number one in Morgause's rules of what not to do around her; she liked to think of them as guidelines to surviving an angry sorceress, especially one _called_ Morgause.

And she had broken rule number one which was basically the only real rule other than being smart enough to make plans, could withstand insults with the occasional threat added for good measure, and was someone who could be of use to her.

But the most pivotal one which she really, really should have remembered was, not to make Morgause look like a fool

If you broke that the others didn't matter as you would most likely be dead.

She figured the only reason she wasn't dead was because she was the adorable little sister and she loved her more than anything in life

That was only her fantasy theory, the other and more than likely more plausible one would have been because if Morgause did indeed do away with her, one their mother wouldn't be happy, and two she wouldn't have anyone to practice on.

Taking the hand offered to her she was pulled to her feet as the blonde gave a little contented smile and hum before pulling her along the path again her mood brightened considerably.

There was love there…..really.

They carried on talking as they walked the blondes own brand of justice pushed back until Morgana could think of a way to get even before eventually they came out into another clearing but this one bigger and they were able to see the clear night sky above them, they made their way to the other side as a medium sized cottage came into view. It was nothing special with a thatched roof and white walls and was tucked away at the forest's edge with a little refine leading to a small lake next to it as they came to a stop just outside the little garden.

All in all not really noticeable unless you knew where to look or was tried hard enough to find it to Morgana it was perfect. Homey, and surround by the forest she spent days roaming and living with the people she loved more than anything. They waited outside for a little while looking up at the night sky as the small pack of wolves that were nosing in the flowerbeds went unnoticed.

It wasn't until a loud shooing sound from behind had them turning to see and older woman waving her hands in the dogs direction as they grumbled but scurried away from the sprouting flowers they were investigating and the woman before moving into the middle and picking up the play fight they had abandoned back in the woods.

Morgause rolled her eyes again at the sight in front of her as Morgana smiled on adoringly listening to the growls and snaps of teeth that had replaced the talking before the sound of their names had them turn again.

"Morgause, Morgana"

The other woman was looking at them from in the middle of the doorway as they looked at her,

"What"

She scoffed and placed her hands on her hips

"What do you mean what, come on in, its freezing and I'm not nursing the both of you back to health, your both grumpy when you're sick so that I'm avoiding right now, so."

And she directed her hand to the inside of the house

Morgause was in very serious danger of getting a migraine with the amount of eye rolling she had done that night but pulled Morgana down the little path as they made their way into the house leaving the wolves to fight it out until they moved off to sleep in their den at the back of the cottage.

The older woman was gazing intently at them as they approached her they smiled sweetly at her as she hummed at them before allowing them to enter before looking as Morgana went past her.

"Morgana dear goddess what happened to your clothes….Your filthy child," She gaped and waited for the youngest to explain but the sound of growling had her looking to the still fighting wolves and then back to her.

"Have you been messing with those dogs again?" She asked borderline demanded as Morgana gave her a small look before speaking,

"They ambushed us on our way back Mother, how was I meant to get them off me." She replied sweetly as the oldest gave her own eye roll but looked to the front of her shirt and spoke again.

"Ok then what happened there" And pointed to the long line of dirt trailed across her chest as she looked down and her smile dropped as she looked back up,

"I made Morgause look like a fool"

The blonde's smirk returned as the image of Morgana being floored by a branch came back to her and she chuckled as Vivienne turned, her gaze to her oldest and seeing the pleased smirk adorning her features.

"And just what do you find so funny dear?" She inquired as Morgause looked at her on hearing the question,

"Nothing Mother"

Vivienne crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her glare at the sisters before tutting,

"Uh-huh so enlighten me, just what did your sister do to you now?"

Smiling at the chance to get her sister in trouble, Morgause told her what had happened on their way back.

"She jumped on my back; I was unprepared and so fell to the floor."

She nodded before returning her gaze to Morgana, "And what did she do in return."

Giving Morgause a small vindictive smile and a side glance, Morgana put her acting skills to use.

"She hit me with a tree branch Mother" Before pouting slightly and ignoring the scoff coming from the side of her.

Vivienne stared at her oldest with an expression of disbelief before speaking.

"Are you being serious? Morgause she could have been hurt for heaven's sake!"

Internally cheering at the fact that this was going in her favor Morgana nodded slightly and with a small simper replied,

"That's what I told her…..She smiled."

Morgause's expression was a stony one, she couldn't believe it, sure it may have been over the top a little but Morgana broke her rule what kind of fearful sorceress would she be if she let people go for breaking her golden rules. She mentally cursed her sister and the knowing smug grin she knew she now had wasn't improving her mood any, she may not have been jealous when it came to hugs and stuff, but she did hate it when they all took the younger woman's side in arguments.

And she got the blame.

"Morgause I want you to say sorry for hurting your little sister right now" Vivienne commanded focusing her glare on the blonde and daring her to argue which of course Morgause being Morgause, did.

"Mother, look at her she's not even hurt, she's just playing you like she always does." The blonde argued back but fell silent under her Mothers gaze,

"That's not the point, in this family we don't go around smacking people with bits of tree, so apologize." Her tone left no room for more back chat as Morgause went to argue again but thought better of it, and with a begrudging glare turned to find Morgana fighting back a smirk and her gaze hardened.

"Now"

"I'm….Sorry sister" She mumbled as Morgana still trying to keep the smug smile back so her mother didn't see could only nod.

"There all better" The older woman smiled as the murdering glint in Morgause's eye went unnoticed to them as their Mother back up.

"Now I want you both to go and get ready for supper" She went to move past them but turned back, "Oh and Nimueh said not to disturb her so be quiet on the way to your room" Before turning and heading for the little kitchen leaving both sisters in the front room. Morgana watched her leave and smiled fully before turning to Morgause, the smile immediately dropping as she finally caught sight of the dangerous look in the older woman's eye and the feral like smile across her lips.

She took a tiny step back before remembering another vital piece of information about her sister.

She never apologized.

She was the least remorseful person she knew and so she could only imagine the mood the blonde was now in after being made to say sorry, she gave her sister a weak smile and licked her lips as the other woman took a step closer, bridging the distance, before Morgana smiled again and made a run for it down the hall.

The blonde watched her disappear around the corner and smirked; she didn't wait until she was almost at the turn off to get even as she made her way slowly down the hall and around the same corner. She didn't have to get her revenge as quickly this time.

They did share a room after all.

* * *

**_Fourth one in two weeks, on a roll,_**

**_I decided to go a little differently with this story as to my other one, i wanted a little background build up before the real drama started and even though i think Morgause was amazing in Merlin, we never got to see the whole of her only the hatred and blind vengance._**

**_A little with Morgana but still not enough before her sad, heartbreaking demise, :'(_**

**_So i thought instead of only finding Morgana late on in life, have them growing up together, i think it may have helped and it does explain why the Morgause in this story can sometimes be a little ooc._**

**_But like any brother or sister there is a little rivalry and i doubt that it wouldn't have been any different for these two either,_**

**_Also Vivienne is alive as she is a part of this to, it all unfolds in later chapters so it'll be easier to just read rather then me explain._**

**_PS - so many spelling mistakes that i just had to re-edit this one again hence why it was taken down. But now it's back up again. _**


	5. The Family Fey

**New chapter, taken a a little longer to post as I've recently required a Beta so i want to say a big thank you to Sunnysmile2413 for taking the time to make this chapter better. :**)

**And also another big thank you to all those who have reviewed, and Favorited. **

* * *

Dinner later that night was one of sharing; the group that gathered at the table talked about their days and listened to the others as they spoke. It was a small group consisting of only six people.

Six high priestesses.

The only ones remaining in all of Albion—the entire five kingdoms had followed suit of Uther's campaign and had purged them out of their lands, even going as far as handing the ones they had caught over to the mad king in exchange for weapons, allegiance, and money. It had disgusted Morgana what she had heard growing up, of just how much she and the rest of them for just being who they are. How hated, feared, loathed, despised, and if ever caught, killed for being magic, for following the goddess, and having something as vital to them as blood coursing throughout their veins.

There had been a time when she was younger that Nimueh told her the tales of what she had witnessed how she had been there when Uther had come to the isle and wreaked havoc, narrowly escaping with her life. Morgana had been equally fascinated and disturbed as she sat and listened to the older woman telling her the horrors of what the cruel king did. She was content to sit there and allow the brunette to tell her everything if it wasn't for her mother.

The older Le Fey had heard what the other woman was telling her daughter and so had put a stop to their little storytelling; scolding Morgana for being awake past her bed time and quietly telling Nimueh that she didn't want her knowing.

It had caused a rift between the two priestesses which both Morgana and Morgause could sense as they went about avoiding one another up until the first fight that both sisters had witnessed.

Vivienne had snapped at the repeated insistences the younger woman kept making about how she was smothering the two youngest; keeping them in a little bubble of ignorance, which one day might just prove fatal to them when they were older.

The older of the two had raged at the brunette saying that they were her children—she would raise them how she saw fit, and she had no right telling them something so harsh at such young ages.

Both children had sat in the middle, watching the argument as Morgana clung to Morgause unhappy at seeing their Mother mad. It carried on until the other two adults in the group, Maria and Imelda, stepped in, reminding them that the children were watching and could hear everything.

That seemed to pull Vivienne out of her argumentative state as she stepped away from the other woman, smiling at the sitting kids before ushering them away. That was the last time they had seen her truly angry, save for the times they had ran off to the other side of the forest, forgetting her warnings about staying close and having her worry for hours until they came back.

Both had stood in the middle of the room as she shouted at them for what seemed like an eternity until she stopped and they smiled as they could just go back to their room. It wasn't until she pulled Morgana over her lap that they realized they were in for a spanking and so had fought back until the first hit had reigned down.

Another eternity later, both were sent to their room, grumbling as they went. Vivienne struggled to hold in her laughter as she watched them leave with their hands over their behinds, no doubt going to stew in their own company until dinner as she set off to the kitchen.

The problem with Nimueh was still tense; it was felt around the cottage for many more days until finally the other two adults got them to sit at the table one night as Morgana and Morgause slept and worked out their issues. They had come to a compromise after a long night. The way the children were taught and what they could be told, with Vivienne adamant that they weren't told anything that she didn't agree on until they were at the right age they could handle the true extent of Uther's wrath.

Nimueh had to hold her eye roll and the urge to argue back so she merely nodded her comply as the matter was settled. She went to her room that night, still thinking she was right—Uther was a bloodthirsty tyrant who would give no mercy to anyone with magic; not even children. She may not have been around the children all too much, but she could tell that they were smart.

They needed to know just what they all faced every day and that just one sight of them from any of the king's men could mean death for them all. With them only being of young age, Morgause barely just passing thirteen, she may have been coming up to an age where she could start to learn a bit more about the purge but she was still a child, and with Morgana just six she wouldn't be ready for some time.

And with the fact that they were the only kids around meant that they stuck by each other. Vivienne had told them that the other kids in the nearby villages wouldn't understand them and might tell their parents if they were seen using their magic, which she had to say was already showing and with much promise to say they were mere kids.

And it was with that she told them the truth, the fact that their magic was showing much quicker than Vivienne expected was a cause for concern but also meant that they needed to be aware of the danger that magic could bring, but Vivienne, being the ever motherly figure she always was would rather shield them from all that keep them hidden to what might essentially save their life.

That was the last on the matter; and though she had to keep her feelings to herself, she still thought Vivienne wrong. Imelda sympathized with her by saying that she had good intentions but could have gone about them differently. The other woman was the oldest of them all and was therefore the one in charge of keeping them all out of harm's way. She had helped a few escape the isle when Uther attacked with many of them fleeing to the next village, she went with a few to another saying if they spilt up then they might have a better chance of survival.

She was wrong, Uther then moved on to the outlying villages in his rage and the ones he found or knew to be followers he slaughtered, she had blamed herself when she found out and forever took the blame for their deaths until she found out that a few had survived. She gathered them up and made sure from that day she would protect them, keep them hidden from Uther and his men for as long as she was alive herself.

Then a few months later Morgause arrived. She had come directly from Lady Vivienne, who had told her it was for her own safety, where they lived it wasn't safe as Uther was starting to focus his attentions to Cornwall and made frequent trips to Castle Gorlois, where she and Morgause lived. The blonde haired girl was only six at the time and her Mother thought she was safe as her magic would still be lying dormant.

But then a week later, Morgause used magic for the very first time. Under normal circumstances Vivienne would have been thrilled if it were not for the king himself to be staying in the very same castle and so knew that she had to get her out and away from him.

Knowing that Uther had already attacked the isle and therefore wouldn't go back to a place he believed to be deserted, she knew it was the perfect place as she had heard that a few had survived and had taken up precedence in the surrounding forest, still near the island but so they could hide if the chance he ever came back did happened.

It was the hardest thing she had to do—sending the child away her only child, as Morgause didn't understand why she was being told that she had to leave her home. She had asked and questioned and eventually cried as she pleaded to stay, it almost tore Vivienne in two but she had to stay strong and told her that she would come and visit soon. Gorlois knew why his daughter was being sent away and he too was upset, but it was to spare her from Uther, his best friend.

He would do anything his oldest friend asked of him as he had done countless times before, but he wouldn't ever turn in his family whom the most important had magic. That was the limit and so knew it was for Morgause's own good.

They day she left was the worst in his life but he held a brave face and accepted the task the king asked him to help in the war on magic. That night as they got ready for bed he told her what Uther asked and, understandably, she told him to refuse as he could get hurt or even killed. He said he had no choice as it was his king and he couldn't refuse the king, they had a small row which resulted in Gorlois staying in the next room.

The day after he came back and said she was right—he had to be there for her and Morgause when she returned but to his shock she told him no, if he went with the king he would be able to sway him to ceasing the needless killing's he was after all his best friend and Uther valued the opinion his more than anyone. After convincing Gorlois it was fine as she would stay here for his time away, he accepted the offer and two days later he left Cornwall; going back with the king and his secret mission from his wife.

It was hard the first few days in his absence as she struggled to come to terms with the fact that her child was gone and so was her husband. She had the maids to keep her company and a few of the ladies that lived in the kingdom but it wasn't enough to warrant the emptiness she felt at the absence of her family. Every few weeks she would get letters from her husband informing her how the fighting was faring and that a few patrol's from the other kingdoms had been attacking them due to the other kings getting unsettled at the way Uther was barging through their lands.

He told her that he was trying his best to dissuade Uther from his executions but so far no avail. He promised her he wouldn't give up and that he would return home soon. That in her mind kept her going, as she also got word on how Morgause was faring so far away.

It was a few weeks later when she came down one day to find Uther himself sitting in the great hall, she had looked around for signs of her husband but figured he must have still been outside as she went to greet him he stood as soon as he spied her and on taking in the sombre expression he bore, knew something was amiss.

That day was the worst in her life as the king told her that Gorlois had died in the northern lands fighting some of Mercia's knights who Bayard had sent in retaliation to Uther coming on to his land, he got word of his plight and was on his way to help as soon as he could but got there too late. He too was devastated at the loss of his best friend but knew that he had to come here personally to tell her, it was the least both she and he deserved.

He held her as she cried in to his shoulder as he soothed her the best he could, after a while she calmed down long enough to thank him for telling her in person but secretly hated him as she blamed him for the death, he nodded and said it was the only thing he could do and swore he would get revenge for the death.

She had said he could stay a few days as to rest before travelling back to Camelot and thanked her for it before she left the room. They only conversed at meal times and the occasional night they sat in front of the fire before retiring, she was still deeply upset and still blamed her husband's death on the man that was down the hall from her.

The days turned into a few week's as Uther soon realized that she was avoiding him and so one night as they sat in the huge hall told her that it was ok if she did hate him some as he also blamed the loss heavily on himself, Gorlois was his best and admittedly only real friend and would miss him terribly, she had sat there and just stared at him baring all he felt, and at the end did tell him she blamed him he nodded in understandment which surprised her as she knew him to get angry if someone said something that he didn't agree with or upset him.

Maybe he really did regret sending Gorlois to his death. The days spent after that in each other's company was more joyful, well still painful but with less animosity as they helped each other get over the pain.

Then one night somewhere in the third week of Uther's stay she made the biggest mistake of her life, as normal they sat and kept each other company up until the moon was over them and she decided to retire and so bade him good night, she leaned over to peck his cheek as she did the nights before but something changed as the simple kiss lingered and his hand gripped her wrist as it did.

Pulling back she could see he was staring at her with something she hadn't seen before and quickly fled so nothing more could come of it as she went to her room before shaking those thoughts from her head and went to sleep, it was halfway through the night when she was wakened by the knocking on her door and saw it was Uther on the other side, he had come apologize as he felt like he had to which she dismissed saying it was nothing and more should not anymore.

He smiled relieved and nodded before staring at her again as she looked into his eyes and saw they were full of longing even though he had come to her and said he was sorry for feeling that exact thing, she knew that she should have stopped it there, shut the door and left him to go to his room but she didn't, as much as she was still hurting she couldn't help but miss the contact of another person.

He moved into her room and as she shut the door the final sound of it closing changed their whole lives forever.

The next day both were in a state of deep regret as he hurried to dress himself saying that it was best if he returned to his kingdom, something she agreed with fully. She couldn't believe what she had done, one night, one stupid moment of weakness and she had betrayed Gorlois forever. She was angry with herself and didn't see him off as he went, it was only sometime later thought that she realized the one night she had tried so hard to forget had come back to haunt her as she woke up one day to find her stomach slightly larger than last, and the smell of most foods having her throwing up.

She didn't want to think about it but knew that it was inevitability and so after the spell confirmed it she sat in her room crying until the late night, she was with child.

She was having a baby,

Uther Pendragon's baby

She knew he could never find out about this as who knows what he might do, if he were to discover that she was carrying his baby one with a right to the throne and therefore could challenge Arthur, he would do all he could to make sure that the child was permanently out of the picture. The thought horrified her so and even though it was one half Uther she couldn't help but already love this new baby and so made up her mind.

She would have to disappear.

It was the only way she could have the baby in peace and keep it from danger as it was sure to be if Uther got wind and so with every passing month she grew, she made plans. The land's where still Gorlois's as she had been looking after them but they would go back to the king as soon as he found her missing, she would go and hide where he wouldn't think to find her so that she and this new child could live in peace.

She had been getting everything in order allowing the servants time off so that they didn't suspect anything and had almost completed her tasks when the next day Uther came back.

He had come to ask her permission to use the ports as he had suspected Cenred of foul play, and so came to the castle to see her, she hadn't been expecting as she was almost ready to leave and so the last remaining maid who was staying until the end of the week came and told her that she had a visitor she had asked who it was but the maid said that he wanted it to be a surprise and so went down natural curiosity taking over.

She hadn't been wearing her cardigan that day and so her full stomach was on view as she pushed open the doors only to stop in the middle frozen as Uther stood to greet her only for his gaze to fall to her stomach where they stayed for a few minutes before back to her face his own colourless.

She shut the doors thankful that his knights had stayed outside and moved further into the hall silent and not looking at him as he took in her stomach the closer she got until she sat in a seat by the fire she stayed quiet as he just stood there taking in her newly changed appearance before she looked at him and he dumbly dragged his feet over to the seat next to her and dropped down.

It remained quiet for another few minutes as he gathered his thoughts before finally speaking,

"Your…..You're…."

"With child," she finished off as he nodded mutely before she coughed a little and looked down at her stomach.

"Well it's either that or I had a whole chicken to myself last night," she said as he just stared at her stomach right up until the point it made her uneasy and fidgeted. He seemed to be deep in thought and lifted his head to speak.

"Is….Is it mine?"

She looked the over way for a few seconds before silently nodding he let out a sigh as she stared at the window before snapping her head back to face him at his next question

"Are you sure?"

She glared at him and he swallowed uncomfortably as she did before hearing her reply, "Of course it is, I haven't lain with anyone else since….That night, and be dammed if I betray Gorlois anymore," she hissed at him as he held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm sorry of course I understand it's just." He ran his hand over his face as he thought of what to do next, he still was trying to take in that he had another child on the way and had only just found out about it now, he didn't know much about Igraine's pregnancy but as he looked at her and the size she was he was guessing that she had to be about five to six months.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, looking to her as she gazed back to him, wondering what he meant until it dawned on her and she let out a single laugh not believing it.

"You mean I'm I keeping it you mean?" she asked and he nodded weakly as she exploded, "OF COURE I'M KEEPING IT! I WILL NOT GET RID OF MY CHILD JUST SO YOU CAN KEEP YOUR PRECIOUS HEIR UTHER!" she raged as he stepped back from her before gazing at her face hearing what she said before shaking his head,

"No, I meant, what about Morgause?"

She stopped yelling at him and gave him a narrowed eyed look before speaking more softly.

"Morgause—what do you mean what about her?"

"I meant are you going to tell her or wait until she gets back?"

She stopped at that; she never thought to tell her oldest child: Oh, how could she forget? She was so wrapped up in this new life changing event she completely blocked out her oldest who she had yet to inform. She sat down, thoughts now making her head hurt as she covered her face a few seconds later she sensed Uther bending down next to her and a warn hand cover the one resting on the chair.

"What's wrong?" he asked gently as she sighed and shook her head.

"Morgause…..She….She doesn't know anything," she muttered as he tilted his

"What do you mean?"

Sighing out more heavily she dropped her hand from her face and looked at him.

"It's been just so much this…..Gorlois, I just completely abandoned everything…..She doesn't even know that her father is dead." She broke down in sobs now feeling like the worst mother ever for neglecting to tell her daughter, a few seconds later she felt Uther wrap his arms around her and she leant into his chest still crying as he tried his best to soothe her.

It was around ten minutes later she finally got her thoughts together and wiping away the tears she sat back up as he released his hold but kept a hand on her shoulder

"Are you ok?" he asked in concern as she smiled and nodded.

"Not as much as I would like to be, but I'll live, I need to tell Morgause. She'll be so upset and..." she smiled weakly patting her stomach, "I've still got this little one to take care of." She looked down to the rounding stomach and rubbed it affectionately he gazed at her movements suddenly reminded of Igraine and how she would do the same when Arthur was still in her stomach, he smiled sadly at the memory.

"I think the babe wants to come out already," she said, chuckling weakly as he laughed, he licked his lips and looked at her expression before moving his hand forward. She saw his out reaching arm and looked at him he stopped his motions and hesitated before speaking.

"May I?" he asked as she gave him a little look of confusion.

"You want….To?"

He nodded eagerly. "It was what I used to do with Arthur and I kind of miss it," he confessed sheepishly as she laughed and nodded her permission. He reached out and placed his huge hand over the side of her swelling and waited until he felt the sudden kick and smiled widely.

"Lively little thing," he laughed as she nodded, she hadn't meant to as she didn't ever expect Uther to find out about the babe but she looked down caressing the bump affectionately and let slip the little secret.

"I think little madam will be just as lively when she comes out to," she spoke still caressing the bump as he looked at her and what she said with wide eyes.

"It's a girl?"

She stopped her motion and looked up to him, "What?"

"You said then, you said little madam….It's a girl how do you know"

She froze, she had done a spell to confirm the gender of the baby a few weeks back but couldn't exactly tell him that, her mind raced for an explanation as he gazed at her before she smiled and spoke.

"The midwife here…..She told me so, she knows these things been doing it for years and almost every time is right," she lied as he looked at her before nodding much to her relief.

He really didn't know much about it, he had after all gotten Nimueh to perform the spell and so apart from occasionally talking to the little boy inside the queen's stomach and grinning at the fact it was a boy that he knew to be true, as far as normal births went. He had no clue, and so believed her when she said the midwife said it.

And they were scary women so he was inclined to believe it even more so.

Still with a hand on her belly he gazed away for a few minutes as she watched him carefully a few seconds later, he looked back at her with a big grin across his face.

"A little girl," he repeated as she slowly nodded watching as his grin continued to grow,

"A girl," he muttered more to himself as she eyed him now wondering what he was getting at as he was just repeating himself.

"A princess!" he finally said more quietly but enough for her to hear it as her head shot up and she stared at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry a what?"

He turned to look at her his hand still on her stomach as she waited for him to explain himself as he smiled, "Well you said it's a girl so she will be a little princess, to go with Arthur."

She let out a single laugh at his words before standing up as his hand slid from her belly and dangled at his side as she began pacing. "I don't know what you're thinking of Uther Pendragon but my daughter is not a princess nor will she ever be"

The king watched her move up and down the room not saying a word as she ranted then spoke at the end,

"But she's mine."

She turned on him.

"No Uther, she was never yours and still isn't now."

He stood up and watched her silently taking in the words that she had just said, "You told me she was mine"

She stopped pacing and faced him irritated and confused, "What?"

"The babe, you said she was mine"

Not getting his point she nodded "She is I just told you."

He stood up straighter and glared at her, "But you have then just said that she wasn't mine and never was."

Vivienne stood and listened to him going over the last few words and how they came out, "So which is it Vivienne," he said slowly, "Is the babe mine or is she not? I will not be made a fool of," he warned as she scoffed at him before pacing again.

"Don't you dare threaten me Uther Pendragon, you may frighten others but you don't me and of course she is." She stopped and faced him again. "I said I haven't lain with anyone else and I meant that, I will no further betray my husband's memory then I already have."

The king stared at her confused at what she had now just said before speaking, "But you have just—"

"Yes I know what I said," she snapped cutting him off, "What I meant is..." And faced him once more. "What I meant was that, my baby, Uther Pendragon, is my own. Yes, she may be half yours but that is all, she will have no part of your life nor will you hers, she will not be a princess or anything for Arthur she will be mine, my own little baby growing up here and that is the way it is staying."

He remained silent as she finished her little outburst and took deep breathes to steady her chest as he carried on staring. She coughed and dropped her head to look at the ground before back up to him; she didn't like his constant looks and so wanted to leave as quickly as possible but remembering that he came for a reason so spoke.

"Now I believe you came here for something, so ask and I shall see what I can do for you," she muttered as he still remained silent before realizing she was right and broke out of his little trance.

"Uh...right, yes, of course, urm I along with a few others think that Cenred is up to something and is using the port of Cornwall as a gaping point. What we would like is to, have a few men stationed around the area and scout out any suspicious activity that might prove us right," he finished before lowering his head.

"With your permission of course," he added as she smiled giving her own little nod.

"Of course, if there is anything going on without my consent down here then it more than likely will be suspicious. If that's what you need then I will allow that," she told him as he nodded again.

"Thank you, I'll have men posted immediately." She nodded before finally deciding to leave with a few muttered words turned and headed to the door, he watched as she retreated just getting to the exit when he called out.

"Vivienne."

She stopped and faced him again as he hesitated on what to say, he didn't want to upset her anymore then he already had, she was with child after all…..His child.

After a few minutes he finally finished with, "Be careful."

She looked at him and his almost wistful face and placed a hand on her stomach before nodding, "I shall my lord." And left the doors closing after her.

The week that followed was tense even by her standards with them dining together in most of the meal silence as Uther sat in the chair next to her every so often taking little glances at the swell at her stomach unbeknownst to him she had seen his every look and grew more and more anxious, he had been not outright broaching the fact that he was the father to her child, but more subtly pointing it out with little hints.

It had all ended in yet another heated discussion when he at last went as far as to suggest that when the babe was born. Vivienne move to Camelot so that they could live in the castle with him.

That had her angered, first shocked then angered, just what did that hope to achieve? Would he acknowledge the baby, say that she was his and name her as an heir or even a princess? Or would they just be a charity burden one that would make him look good in the time of his friend's death. She had to quickly decline and leave the room as fast as she good otherwise she would snap at him again and that wouldn't have done her or the baby any good.

He seemed to have gotten some sort of signal that she was pissed and so stayed away from her for a day and half of the next until the last night of his stay when they dined together. It was still a tremulous evening as it stretched in the silence both lost in their thoughts, Uther was slowly getting used to the fact that he know not only had one child he so desperately wanted and went as far as using magic to gain, but now had one by means of the natural way.

He would have always liked more kids and just figured that he would have them….With Igraine, he glanced at the raven haired woman next to him, he wasn't saying that Vivienne wasn't a beautiful woman as she was stunning, gorgeous beyond belief and many a time when she and Gorlois came to Camelot the talk of the few kings that stayed there. Gorlois was an envied man and he had to admit that he too felt that particular sting once in his younger days.

But he didn't ever think anymore as he had his wife and nothing could compare to her, but now she was gone, with a baby in her place that he had to raise. And he had slept with the women that was one time in his dreams only to find that now she was having his child.

He always wanted a princess, the perfect family completed, one that many from all over would come to admire and be jealous off which he knew they would. Arthur would grow up strong and fierce, being the best knight eventually best king anyone would know. And his little princess being the most treasured, beautiful adored being around in all the kingdoms, putting all the others to shame.

He knew though that once Igraine passed away his dream family ended and the second future child no more, until this news hit him. Taking another little look at the woman next to him he couldn't help but wonder he could have imagined what the second child would have looked like just by looking at Arthur and considering they would have had the same parents he knew he would have been just as proud.

But now with the fact that he did have another child coming, but to a completely different woman, though still stunning, wasn't his Igraine, he had to ponder just what this little girl would now look like.

But no matter that she wasn't even his wife's he would love her all the same. And dam what anyone else would think.

Another thought came to him as he raised his head, he now had two children and sure Vivienne was adamant that he wouldn't have anything to do with the second but he could be persuasive when he wanted and so still had time to make her change her mind in which he would, but he had a nagging thought.

He had waited so long for Arthur, going so far as to get help in his conception, he wouldn't change his son for anything but at times he couldn't help but wonder. If it took him so long to be born and in the most difficult of circumstances was he really meant to be born?

And now this, with this child she happened all so naturally it was so simple and easy, it still astounded him that he did have another child on the way and as he thought about Arthur and what had to happen in order for his birth comparing it to the naturalness of this new one he couldn't help the traitorous thought from popping up.

Maybe this little girl was meant to be the one?

Maybe instead of a king, Camelot was meant to have a…..Queen?

Shaking his head of the recurring question he lifted his cup and sipped the wine trying his best to think other thoughts, as over in the other seat Vivienne had her own problems.

She took a small look at the man next to her as her mind was in two half's, she didn't know what to make of this week it had all been an emotional drain and was taking its toll on her physically,

He had taken the news of his second child a lot differently than what she was expecting, she had known him a long time and for that he had always been so dedicated to Igraine and seem to genuinely regret their night just like she did, but then this happened and so when he did find out she was fearing the worst. He wasn't the nicest person to be around, and had heard of many stories of just how cruel Uther Pendragon could be.

And so with this unexpected occurrence in the form of another child she didn't know what he was going to do, but in all her years of knowing him she could never have imagined this, he actually was happy. She wasn't sure just how happy as she was still shocked but at least he wasn't chasing her around waving his sword at her trying to remove the child himself maybe he was waiting until the birth she still had to be sure but so far he was happy.

And then came the little revelation that he was seemingly happy with a new child but he in fact wanted her to go and live in Camelot with him and Arthur…..She didn't know what to make of it and it scared her if she was honest, she didn't like not knowing what was going to happen. She liked having the knowledge at the end of an outcome as it gave her time to plan ahead if need be.

But now she was just treading in a pool of uncertainty one that she feared was going to pull her under any minute.

She still had a choice to make and with the babe fast approaching she needed to make it quick, the problem was with Uther being as kind as he was and the way he often looked at her and her stomach as if he could see the tiny life in it, it was with love and it may have scared her but it also hindered her.

She bade him off the next day as he was up and was on his way before the sun was mid in the sky and she went back in as he left before returning to her room, she still had a lot to think of and so needed peace.

Over the next few days her head was elsewhere as she struggled to decide and it wasn't until another few days when she received a letter from Uther himself that she sat reading beside the fire did she make her choice.

Over the last months of her pregnancy she continued to receive more letters from Uther repeatedly asking the same thing but she never replied, only telling her closest maid to write a reply informing him that she was too ill to move let alone respond personally, Ingrid looked at her mistress in confusion as it was clear to her Vivienne was anything but. She may have suffered from horrendous morning sickness but that was about it.

But on the insisted orders from the other woman she complied and so sat down a few weeks prior to the baby arriving and wrote the king of Camelot a letter stating on her mistress wishes that she was simply too ill to move, barely making it from her bed and had to decline his offers.

As her maid was busying keeping Uther at bay Vivienne was busy preparing for what her next part of the plan involved, she gathered the most basic belongings from her room. The simple yet important things she would need and the items she couldn't live without, like a shirt from Gorlois's wardrobe and a few more of his things that was dotted about their room small things that could fit into her bag.

She then went to the room below the castle the room she knew Gorlois kept his treasures and valuables, she unlocked the door and moved over to the solid wall at the back before bending as best she could before sliding out a stone panel and reaching for the box hidden it hid, he had mocked him for it but Gorlois insisted on keeping provisions just in case anything should happen to either.

She had chuckled and dismissed it as a silly man worrying but now, she ran her handover the lid and smiled sadly. She wished she could take back all the fun she had made at his actions, lifting the lid she placed the coins into a bag and once she had finished pushed the chest back into the wall and covered it up before leaving with the heavy bag in her hands.

She struggled up the stairs taking in heavy breathes when she got back to the top, the baby was almost here and she hadn't done half the stuff she needed to, but then Ingrid spotted her and scolded her as she was led back to her room, she had taken care of the letter and now had led the other woman back to her bed on the strictest orders to rest, she was about to give birth any moment and all she was doing was running around the castle.

It was not two days when Vivienne felt the first stings of contraction as the Ingrid ran around getting everything organized as she ushered in the midwife. A day and a half of pain, sweat, screaming blood and pushing later she finally heard the loud crying of her baby as she sagged back into the pillows of her bed devoid of breath but happy none the less as she watched tiredly as the midwife washed the baby off with warm water before placing the screaming bundle into her Mother's weary arms.

Vivienne looked down at the little girl and smiled as the baby still crying, looked at her before slowly starting to whimper, she lifted her hand and placed her finger next to her cheek as she soothed the angry child as the baby lifted her tiny hand and clutched her finger within her little fist, Ingrid stood to the side watching the two happily as Vivienne looked at her and nodded for her to come closer. She edged nearer and peered over to the new addition and gasped with pride.

"Oh Mistress, she's perfect!"

"Vivienne, please, how many times have I told you to call me that!" the other woman chided her gently with a small smile as the blonde haired woman nodded and smiled back before looking back to the baby who had now took to gurgling, "Have you decided on what to call her yet?" She asked as the raven haired woman nodded, along with the many other things she had time do she did take the time to stop and think of what to call her new daughter and had come across a name she thought would be fitting for the little baby.

"I have," she muttered still staring at the little girl.

"Morgana."

Ingrid beamed happily at the name that suited the tiny baby so well as tears slid down her face. It had been not but a few days ago that Vivienne had finally told her about her plan the older woman was understandably distraught and had begged he to reconsider, she didn't know why all this had come about but she had an inkling that it had something to do with the king of Camelot.

It was none of her business what the lady of the castle and the king talked about but it must have been bad if her mistress was going to these extreme measures, she also tried to make her reconsider not because it was her home but because the younger woman was her friend and she would be heartbroken to see her leave.

After a tearful hour one night when they talked she began to get the gist of why she had to leave as she came to the conclusion that she was leaving to protect the baby, being the lady's maid she knew that the younger woman was magic and so it was only natural that the child would be magic to, Vivienne had smiled and nodded saying that was exactly it.

Ingrid may have been a kind and trustworthy woman and extremely loyal. But this was the one thing that she was keeping to herself until the very end if she could help it.

It was a week after Morgana had been born and Vivienne was sitting in the make shift nursery that she had, it was going to be her permanent room but given all that had taken place she thought it best if she just stayed with her she looked down to the little girl tightly clutched to her chest as she smiled lovingly at her face, she hadn't been sure at first as they had been a dark brown at first but with each day that past the colour of her eyes changed to that of a dark green.

It might have worried her as Uther to had the same colouring and so if she was to say anything to anyone about the new baby they might have been confused seeing as Gorlois had blue, but she didn't have to worry about that as she too had green coloured eyes so could easily say that Morgana took them off her just as she had with the raven coloured tufts of silky hair that had begun to grow.

She already adored the little girl and wanted to keep her close to her at all times but unfortunately with the arrival of yet another letter from Camelot, this time with words more of concern from the king, she knew that it was time. She would be leaving tomorrow she just wanted done more night in the place he had come to love so much, the place that held many loving and wonderful memories for her.

The place that now was no longer her home

Morgause was gone, Gorlois was gone and with the fact that Morgana technically wasn't his, there was nothing left of him around. Without her family the place she lived had just become another building and so knew this was the only way…The best way.

Ingrid had been gathering any last essentials that they might have needed as she thanked her for all that she and done before asking one more thing from her the older woman had been with her since she was young, and had helped her with many a thing during her life here and so wasn't only upset at leaving her home but the one person she could have called family.

Ingrid wasn't getting and younger herself and so she must have figured that once she left the other woman would find it hard to find work anywhere, she had spent her entire maid life with the one person who would want an ageing maid when there was many younger ones around.

She worried for her future and security and so as a way of repaying her for all her years of devoted service she had given her the entire collection of jewellery she had, it wasn't like she needed it where she was going, and it was worth a lot so hoped that whatever Ingrid decided to do with it, it would help her in the future.

The older woman at first refused, she wouldn't take a thing of her mistress but Vivienne said they would just go to waste lying around as she wasn't taking them and so very reluctantly the maid accepted the valuable items insisting that she wouldn't part with them, if this was the last time she was to see the younger woman again then she wanted something to remember her by.

And so, the day finally came and as it went by it was spent with a fair few tears being shed and lots of hugs, as the hours slowly ticked down she went and retrieved Morgana who had been sleeping in the side cot near the warmth of the fire and cried on being woken. She wrapped the tiny baby in a few blankets before taking one last look around the room she had spent so much time in a holding back a sob she left.

She hurried down the steps leading to the outside as Ingrid had a horse ready and waiting with a few bags already packed. She smiled at the older woman before handing Morgana off to her as she swiftly pulled herself up to take the reign's before bending down and carefully taking the baby back as she steadied herself keeping one hand on the reigns and the other holding Morgana tight to her.

"You know what to do." She looked down at the sandy haired woman who nodded and blinked away the tears that had been threatening to fall; she wiped them away and nodded again as Vivienne smiled,

"Thank you." She leant down and took her hand. "I will miss you terribly, you have been my closest friend….I know this last thing to ask you is dangerous but you're the only one I can trust." Ingrid smiled and nodded, clasping her hand.

"I would do it gladly no matter how many times you ask me dear," she spoke, almost brokenly. They lingered in each other's company for a few more minutes before Morgana stirred again and was getting grumpy and so sitting back in the saddle she nudged the horse into a slow walk as they moved to leave the courtyard. With one last glance at the woman waiting to see them off she held back her own tears and nodded before disappearing out of sight and into the night.

* * *

**Hope everyone liked it, any Comment's/Feedback/Critique is very much appreciated. :D **


	6. The Family Fey Pt 2

**Thank you to all those who reviewed and are following, sorry this chapter took longer to put up was having a spot of trouble with it but hopefully it worked itself out at the end...So yeah.**

**Anyhoo on with the story **

* * *

It was three days after Vivienne had left that Ingrid found Uther Pendragon on the other side of the double doors one Wednesday. She bowed as she let him in watching him carefully as his knights came in after him before shutting the door. He had already made his way through to the hall and pushed open the doors coming back when he didn't find her there.

"Where is she?" He asked as the old woman stood in front of him. She kept her head down remembering what her next part of the plan was, this was her last act of duty to the lady of the castle and she had to get it just right and so after thinking of some particular sad memories made herself cry.

Uther had received the last letter a few days before he knew that she would be having the baby, it was the same as always that she was too exhausted to move and could barely lift herself up from her pillows let alone write back to him with each letter declining his offers the more he got worried, something wasn't right. Even with the fact Arthur was born using magic Igraine was never that bad and so feared for her safety and that of the baby's.

He had kept his distance for a while in the hopes that she would have calmed down long enough to see reason and when he would visit as he was planning to, he would make his plea again to have them both come live with him it might not have been his picture of the perfect family but at least it would be that.

Arthur needed a mother anyway and with the fact that she would have been raising the baby on her own as well as Morgause when she returned. He knew it would have been a struggle and so he didn't make this offer just out of thought to his friend. If they could both get something from the arrangement then he didn't see what was wrong with it.

The prince needed a female role in his life and she needed help raising her two children…..It really didn't get much simpler than that.

By the second day he was antsy and so without much warning he took a few of his men and set off for Cornwall not giving much detail as to why he was going and with a few placed words to his councillor's they soon fell silent and so watched as he left.

And that is how he ended up at his old friend's castle looking worried, anxious, stoic and fearful all at the same time.

He gazed down at her bowed head and his lips pursed when she didn't answer

"I shall ask again…..Where is your mistress?"

It was quiet for a few more minutes as his anger grew with each silent passing and was about to raise his voice when he heard snivelling coming from her and finally she raised her head for him to see she was crying.

"What….What is it" He asked again more insistently as she opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out as she shook her head. His worry began to rise again and he looked around the empty hall and to the flight of stairs with a feeling of dread.

"Vivienne"

Turning his attentions back to the old woman she was crying fully now and he took a step closer.

"Where is the lady of the castle?"

She finally got her voice after a few minutes with each other never taking their gaze away as she hiccupped and with a small voice spoke.

"There was so much blood, I couldn't stop it…..It just kept coming and it wouldn't slow" She muttered a little quietly as he gazed at her

"What"

"The baby she was so cold and nothing we did could wake her" She lifted her head to look at him "It was like she was sleeping sire"

He heard what she said and took a step back in horror, "What are you saying?"

Her small smile faltered and she broke into sobs again as the horrible realization dawned on him and he shook his head,

"No….No….No it can't be" And took off or the stairs leading to her rooms with her hurrying after him he raced to her room and without knocking threw open the door before recoiling in horror

"So much blood, I couldn't stop it" She repeated standing by him as he took in the bare room save for the white sheet covered in thick red blood which had pooled in the middle.

"She was tired, but she held on to hold her babe for a moment before they both fell asleep," She spoke her voice breaking with each word, "They looked so peaceful"

Uther's mind was a blank he gazed around the room that once held his best friend and wife….And for a short time his little daughter but now was empty like no one had ever used it only had died a bloody and painful death. His eyes watered as he could only imagine what had taken place and what had been lost,

As if she had known what he was thinking she spoke again.

"I don't think any of them felt pain my lord, it was all so quick." She mumbled the last words tears falling again as he nodded both standing in the doorway, one crying for the lies she was telling and the other once more having lost ones so close to him and once more having lost the chance of something resembling some sort of family.

"Where are their…." He trailed off not wanting to think about them like that as she glanced at him.

"We….Gave them a funeral sire, it felt like the right thing to do and I couldn't bear the thought of seeing them like that anymore" She said as he nodded, a part of him a little angry at not being notified immediately but the other relieved and grateful that he didn't have to see them like that, it was still raw from Igraine and so this might have cut the wound open again.

He held back a choke as a thought hit him and with a small voice as he didn't trust himself not to break he asked.

"What was her name?"

The old woman took in a deep breath as she gazed at the room the little baby had been in not less than a week ago and with a small smile answered.

"Morgana, my lord…..Her name was Morgana"

He nodded once more and turned away from the room not being able to stand and look anymore as he wandered off down the hall, not really sure of what to do next. He had come expecting to talk to her make her see sense again and to get a glimpse of his secret little princess but never this.

He made his way down the steps still looking blankly at nothing as his men noticed his subdued stance and vacant look and remembered that it was like that when the queen died and so hurried over to him.

"Sire"

He didn't respond, they gave each other a little glance in concern before speaking again.

"My Lord"

A few minutes later he lifted his head to stare at the knights who was watching him with intent.

"Are you alright?"

He paused for a few minutes letting the words sink in, no he wasn't alright. He had just lost one of his good friends and unknown to them he had just lost another little piece of him.

He nodded, and looked around before looking at the open door; he needed to get out of here needed to leave. This place was now something he could never come back to it was one of bad memories and heartbreak and so moved past them and out down the steps and back on to his horse as they hurried out after him and followed on as he cantered out of the courtyard.

The land was his once more now that both were gone it reverted back into his territory but this place he would never ever use again it would remain unused until the walls crumbled to dust. That way their memory would never fade…Gorlois, Vivienne and Morgana; as long as that place remained they would never die.

Ingrid heard the clattering of hooves on the stones and knew he had left, she didn't know exactly why he reacted the way he did. He knew that the lord of the house was his very best friend and so maybe it was that why he felt so strongly to the lady that was left, maybe his way of helping her, and no one liked to hear the death of a little one and so maybe that was also the reason.

Taking another deep breath and looked at the animal blood she had poured over the sheets the day before she shut the door and made her way down the hall. Though it was all lies it still pained her to say those words, she believed that if one thought it or said it then it would happen and so praying so hard with each false word she told and hoped that wherever they were it wasn't real.

That was it now, the last request she had promised to do was fulfilled and now there was nothing left to keep her here making her way down the steps she looked around as she did, she had a lot of fond memories of this place she smiled as she made her way through the hall and into the great hall room as she looked around seeing the empty fire at the other end and how it cast a coldness over the room.

She remembered chasing Morgause through here when she was trying to avoid her bath and how Gorlois would laugh as she did, with Vivienne smiling as she told her off for running away; she let out a teary laugh which turned into a sob as it hit her that she would never see them again be it through death or the fact that they had left to escape a king who if knowing the truth would have been less heartbroken and more like what she had heard when his queen had died.

Composing her tears she hurried out of the hall she moved to gather the last of her belongings she had already taken by insistence from her mistress the gold and silver jewellery, she swore she would never sell it but now that she was leaving the keep who knew what may come but as she wrapped her cloak around her and basket heading for the large doors she stopped and took one last look before smiling sadly.

She pushed open the door and made her way down the steps as for the last time she crossed the courtyard and left the empty keep behind.

Vivienne had at last come to the boarder that crossed from King Cenred's land into that of Uther's she knew that it would be safe to pass through as she knew that Uther by now would have travelled down to see her, she knew that he wouldn't stand not knowing and the fact that she had been refusing his offers would drive him insane and so would get answers from her personally. He was predictable that way

Which is what she was thankful for as it allowed her to plan her journey and make her way through the different kingdoms without having the fear of coming into contact with any patrols by traveling through the day and keeping hidden at night, of course travelling with a baby wasn't easy and sometimes that slowed her down but she was determined to carry on. She had to she had to make sure that no one would find her.

Faking her death was something she didn't make a choice of too easy but it had to be done. If she had stayed she would never get Uther of her back and with his insistent letters asking her to live in Camelot, it was only a matter of time before the choice was made for her, what Uther Pendragon wanted, Uther Pendragon got. And that what scared her.

She knew he would also be there to see the little girl, little Morgana though he would never know her name not unless he asked. She knew that he wanted to complete his wife's wishes of a perfect family but unfortunately that didn't include her, he may have said it did but what he really wanted was Morgana and being as she was the mother. It was sort of a package deal.

But he wouldn't get his wish not if she had anything to say about it which sadly wasn't enough against the might if the king and so taking drastic action was her only route to go.

Faking hers and the baby's deaths would hopefully be enough to ensure that no one ever found them it would give her the reprieve she had been wanting and the chance to raise both her children in peace and sad as it was that she was depraving her little baby of her father though she had wished it was Gorlois. It would also give Uther the chance to forgot about them and in time become just a distant memory.

Looking down at the map she had she looked over the page and knew that it would be another two days give or take before she reached her destination. She deliberated on which way to go as she bit her lip. Of course she could have saved herself a lot of hassle and just transported herself and the baby there without fuss but she didn't want to frighten Morgana with such strong magic at a young age even though it was certain she herself would have magic.

Another reason as to why she had to leave, Uther may have been ecstatic at the idea at having a princess to add to having the prince. But she was positive that he wouldn't be so please to discover that his dear little daughter possessed magic. She wasn't too sure of what might happen and didn't know if the bonds of blood outweighed his hatred for magic and so didn't want to risk testing that on her daughter.

Looking down at the sleeping baby who already had a headful of rich black hair something she got no doubt from the both of them she smiled grateful that it wouldn't be for at least another five maybe six years before her magic started showing, it was like that with Morgause and so it was only natural she took after her sister.

Deciding on the quickest she rolled up the map and put it back in her bag before setting off again having rested enough. She would take the forest of Balour and across the ridgeline's of Camelot that connected to the line of that with the isle of Mora before coming out near the seas of Meredor. She had sent Morgause to live with what she had come to learn was the last of the high priestesses not excluding herself as she had to stay to keep up pretences in Cornwall.

She had learned they had taken refuge near the great sea just past the valley of the fallen kings and somewhere along the lines that led the small isle. Where she could not say which was why she sent word to one of the priestesses that had too kin Morgause. She would be meeting her close by and so had to get there quickly. With that in mind she picked up the pace but mindful to make sure the rocking didn't disturb Morgana as she set of along the path and onward to her new life.

The journey back to Camelot was one of silence for Uther as he sat on his horse lost in his thoughts not taking heed of his men's cautious glances as to why he looked so distraught.

He just couldn't believe it…..It wasn't sinking in, in the short space of less than a year he had lost both his best friend and in the short space of two he had lost all. His wife, his greatest friend and ally, his wife who he had promised to look out for and….His daughter.

His throat clenched at that. His daughter. For less than a day he had both a son and a little girl and now he had lost her forever. Sure he was shocked to hear that he was having another child and was so worried about the repercussions of what this could mean. But then he remembered what Igraine wanted and how she would have been so happy to have the complete family and soon his fears turned into acceptance which in turn changed to anticipation.

He was so excited about fulfilling his late wife's wishes he was prepared to take the backlash of what his court would have said when it came to light he had fathered another child so soon after swearing he could never love again it wasn't like he loved Vivienne. As a friend yes and the wife of his best friend that would only ever be it, but he could love his little daughter.

And he would, so much and shower her with everything she wanted he would have ensure her anything in his power and devoted his time to both his children making sure they grew up with only the best. If only he could get Vivienne to see it that way, she was adamant that he was to have no part of her life and was prepared to fight him on that.

Of course with her being with child he thought her mind was not fully thinking properly and so gave her the space she needed, he had his plan that once she had the child and her thought were back to normal he would make his case again and she would see reason.

But of course she didn't and soon his calm mood changed with each rejection she sent back in the form of her maid. Just who did she think she was? He was the king she couldn't say no to him and yet she was, time after time her answer was the same he was to have no part of his daughter life. Well she couldn't say no forever she was as much him as she was her and so he had a right.

And his right overruled hers he was just being polite. If she didn't comply soon he was going to go and bring them both back with him, he was still stewing when he got the letters that she was too ill to move and with each one he got the less angry he became and worry soon crept in surely she couldn't have been this sick? Igraine was never that bad.

He closed his eyes as they travelled up the path. He had felt in his gut that something was off and yet he didn't do anything, just waited, he should have gone as soon as he got that first letter…..Maybe if he had he could have done something.

He didn't know and now because of it two lives had been lost, and it wasn't just their death's he felt blame for he had failed Gorlois. His best friend, his closest ally and confidante when he spoke to him the other man had him promise that if ever something were to happen he was to take care of them all, the king had promised with his life and said they would be in the best care possible.

Now he couldn't even imagine what Gorlois must think of him now, not only did he have blood on his hands he let down his oldest friend's memory. And it would haunt him forever

Getting back to his kingdom he left his horse in the court and made his way to his chambers ignoring everyone in his way. He just needed to be alone. Shutting his door and slumping on his bed, he knew he shouldn't be feeling this bad as it wasn't official that he had another child, but it would have been. The reason he felt like his heart had been ripped open was that once more he failed.

But this time it was his beloved Igraine, she had so wanted another child a girl and he had that, he had that and was so close to completing her last request only to have it slip away from him as she did. Without him realizing it a few tears slipped down his cheek, each filled with the weight of what he didn't do and what it had caused.

He knew he couldn't hide forever but he had to have this to himself this day, to remember what he had and what could have been. Than he would go out and run his kingdom and raise his son at least he still had him even if he would never now the sister he had. Sniffing he wiped his tears away with his hand and looked when a single one hung to his finger smiling sadly he dedicated that cried tear to the daughter he would never know.

He may not have met or even held her like he wanted, but at least he knew her name.

Morgana

He decided that from then on that day would be the day he remembered her fully, he would take a day to himself and just think about both the lost baby and the lost friends. If it was anything else he would have organized a feast in their honour but for some reason he decided that this he would keep personal and to himself.

It had been just over two years a week ago that Vivienne disappeared or 'died' she had met up with the other high priestess who welcomed her into their little group and upon noticing the little baby was happy that they had two new members to add to their group though it would be not for another twenty one years before Morgana would become a high priestess just knowing that she was a new one born made them smile.

Morgause was anxiously waiting for her mother to arrive once she had been told that she was coming and so was bouncing up and down in anticipation and run off from the woman minding her when she had spotted her and wrapped her hands around her legs as she did, the other woman smiled and bent down hugging her oldest whom she had not seen for what seemed forever taking in the feel of her again.

Morgause then heard a sound that had her looking up and on spotting the baby tightly held in Cassandra's arms asked who it was before Vivienne looked at her staring at the little bundle before turning to her and smiling, Morgause listened as she was told that she had a new sibling before looking at the little clothed baby again and moving to get a better look. Both women watched as she peered at the tiny person wrapped in the blankets before looking back to her mother who was smiling and then back to the baby before asking if she could hold her.

Cassandra carefully placed the little girl in her arms as both watched as the blonde haired girl clutched the precious baby to her before looking at them once more and turning away. They watched wondering what she was doing before realizing that she was sitting down still keeping her sister close to her and staring at her as by then morgana had woken and was blinking sleepily up.

They both stared at each other as Morgana came face to face with someone that wasn't her mother and was watching with her large green eyes as Morgause pursed her lips. The others watched on. Vivienne had known what Morgause was like and she didn't take to other kids to well and Cassandra learning that as she looked after her, though there was no other children around she knew that Morgause was a child who liked the company of adults more than those her age.

After a few minutes with Morgana yawning and breaking of the staring competition Morgause raised her head and looked to her mother and Cassandra before declaring the baby adequate enough which made them both chuckle and smile please that she had taken to her.

They made their way back to the cottage that they had restored and was kept hidden away almost invisible to people who didn't know where to look as the other priestesses welcomed the new additions as they got settled it pleased Vivienne to see that all the way back Morgause had not once let go of Morgana and was still keeping her close to her even in the house.

It was that she had knew that she had made the right choice in doing what she did, any lingering doubts she held vanished when she saw how happy the little blonde haired girl was with the new knowledge that she had a sister, she felt now that the way she was holding her so close considering she was never like that with anyone. It would have been cruel to deny her this.

Life soon got back to normal for the little group of priestesses or as normal as It could whilst in hiding with Vivienne settling In and being happy being back with Morgause who had taken to having Morgana very quickly, it amused them to watch the little girl who was sometimes so stoic and wise beyond her years carting a little baby around with her, as time went by and with Uther thinking both were dead and therefore never pursuing her she was able to relax and enjoy her new life.

She had nothing to worry about. Her children were safe, the other priestesses were safe, no one knew of their whereabouts and she could finally begin the process of getting over the death of Gorlois, telling Morgause was heart-breaking seeing her little face as she told her that her father was never coming back was something she never wanted to see again, the little girl cried for days and refused to talk to anyone only allowing Morgana to stay with her.

The little baby couldn't say anything as she was carted off into the next room where Morgause was before the blonde haired girl placed her on her bed and crawled next to her. Morgana gurgled and played with her hand as Morgause smiled calmly at her before they both fell asleep; Vivienne had seen how badly her oldest had taken the news and so feared that this would set her back when talking to people.

It was a few days later when she re- appeared with Morgana in her arms the baby still looking like nothing was wrong and was gazing around the room. She came over to her mother who was waiting patiently as she looked like she had still been crying but when she spoke it was Vivienne who nearly sobbed.

Morgause looked at her with those brown eyes of her and spoke quietly that even though she was sad that Gorlois was never coming back it wasn't only her who had lost someone for Morgana did as well though she couldn't say it.

The older woman said nothing, merely nodded. What could she say, she hadn't told her that Morgana didn't share the same father as she did, Morgause may have only been nine but she was learning fast and knew what betrayal meant. She would know that she cheated on her father with another and she wasn't sure what she would so and so chose not to disclose that information.

She hadn't even told the other priestesses, though a lot older and more mature she knew that they wouldn't understand, and rightly to. Vivienne was a high priestess, a woman of magic and so to have had a child with the person who by law hated her and would have killed her without pause, she knew they would be disgusted.

They would also by extension hate Morgana seeing as she was one half Pendragon and so would constantly remind them of the tyrant king, she feared what they might do and so she kept it from them to keep Morgana safe.

It was a secret she would be taking to the grave.

But apart from that everything in her life was as it should be and she couldn't be happier…..She had nothing to worry about.

Or so she thought.

It was a little before Morgana's second birthday and Vivienne was happily making a little shirt for her smiling at how fast she was growing when suddenly a shriek from down the hall had her dropping what she was making and running to where the noise came from as she saw Alice the second oldest of the lot staring wide eyed in what was Morgause and Morgana's room.

Coming to a halt she stood in the door way behind the other woman and mirrored her look as she saw that inside the room all the furniture. The bed's the clothes, the little toys; everything was levitating in mid-air as she cast her eyes down to see Morgause standing with her back to them.

"Morgause"

The blonde haired girl turned to look at them as Vivienne stared at her Alice was still looking at the hanging items as the other woman moved into the room and next to her oldest.

"What have I told you about using your magic like this," She asked "If anyone saw this. I know your magic is getting stronger and you want to practise with it but not on a level like this you're going to be tired later." She scolded as Morgause looked at her petulantly. It was silent for a few seconds as both stared at each other before the blonde spoke.

"It's not me"

Vivienne frowned at her words, "What do you mean"

"What I said, I didn't do this"

The older woman raised her brow, though Morgause loved her little sister and was never too far from her she did at times blame her for things and so used to hearing the words 'Morgana did it' and so knowing this was another one of those moments wasn't falling for it.

"Morgause"

"I'm being serious….Morgana did it"

"Morgause stop it, Morgana is just a baby she doesn't have the level of power strong enough to perform something like this. I don't know what your hoping to gain but I'm not falling for it"

Morgause frowned and looked at her again….."But I mean it this isn't me"

"Morgause….."

"Why won't you"

"Morgause"

"Er…..Vivienne"

The other woman looked around to see Alice looking downwards and she followed her line of sight and gasping as Morgana giggled her eyes glowing bright gold as suddenly the loud crashing of the furniture dropping to the floor had them all jumping as they stared wide eyed at the baby in front of them not quite believing what they had seen. It was silent for a while before the sound of Morgause's still petulant voice sounded out.

"Told you it wasn't me"

After that Vivienne had watched Morgana carefully as did the rest waiting to see if anything g else happened, when nothing did they thought that maybe it was just a showing of an early sign of her magic. It had happened once with Morgause and so the raven haired woman nodded calming slightly at the seemingly plausible explanation until one day she came into the house to find Morgause throwing things into the air.

"Morgause just what on earth do you think you're doing?"

The blonde looked around to see her mother standing in the door way hands on hips and giving her the same hard stare she had a few days ago, she bit her lip as her mother waited for an answer before she shrugged and said.

"Me and Morgana was playing"

Uncrossing her hands Vivienne narrowed her eyes at what she had said, "What do you mean playing?"

Shrugging again Morgause pointed to where Morgana was sitting and looking at them with an array of various items strewn around her.

"I threw them she caught them"

Looking from one to the other Morgause was giving very vague answers and so she had to ask again.

"What do you mean she caught them?"

Morgause sighed and bent down to pick up a plate she was going to throw and ignoring her mother's protests threw it into the air as they both watched. It slowed down before it came tumbling back and Vivienne feared it was going to smash before seeing a flash of gold from the side of her and watched the plate once more stunned at seeing it slow down until it came to a stop hovering in mid-air above them.

Once more she was speechless as both was focusing on the dangling plate until a happy giggle from the side had her breaking focus and looking to the baby at the side and gasping as the littered items around her had risen to join the plate.

What got her was that Morgana wasn't even paying attention to the plates and dishes she was levitating, she was still watching Morgause and clapping as the blonde saw her and smiled.

"Much better than any game you could come up with"

Vivienne heard the comment but couldn't find it in her to speak as she just stared at the floating items, her worry increasing with each giggle. This was not natural not for a baby and especially not one who didn't it appeared need to even focus to hold a spell.

She would have to talk to the other priestesses about this; she wasn't sure what she could do. This had never occurred before Morgause was five before she started showing magic and then she had to speak. Looking down she swallowed the lump in her throat as she saw Morgause move to sit by her sister as Morgana crawled into her lap. Still smiling, before settling down.

Licking her lips she wondered how she was going to get the items to stop floating when she needed have bothered as a few minutes later they came down slowly and on to the floor. She looked over and saw the reason Morgana was closing her eyes and yawning; she was getting sleepy and so had curled up into Morgause's lap.

That night after she had put them both to bed she had called a meeting as they sat around the table and listened to what Vivienne had saw today and took note of the worry in both her tone and eyes, they all had promised to try and find out why Morgana's magic was coming through so early but they all thought the same thing. How.

None of them had seen anything like this before and though the baby only showed her magic when Morgause was around it was clear that it was powerful and from what Alice had told the rest when she witnessed it that day, Morgana had been using magic at a level that not even Morgause had mastered yet, the blonde though strong in her own right and would grow to be extremely powerful. Wouldn't be learning this stuff for quite some time.

They worked tirelessly reading all the books they had managed to save from the isle trying to find a reason as to why and how this occurred but a few weeks later and nothing, Vivienne had been keeping Morgana closer to her for fear of her magic increasing but her efforts were wasted as anytime Morgana saw Morgause she would clap and giggle before emitting a powerful burst of magic that had something or another smash.

Vivienne didn't know what to do and was even getting to the point of binding her powers maybe for a few years but Alice said it would be a bad idea as if the level of magic she was showing now was already unusually high for a baby to show. Then keeping that contained until later life would have it bursting to a point of maybe it physically hurting her leaving the other woman in despair over what to do.

In the end the only compromise they could come up with was teaching her though she wouldn't understand as much now she could still learn the basics such as when not to use magic and keeping Morgause away from her lessened the chance of that happening.

As the years went by eventually they managed to control the amount of times she used her magic and as she got older she began practising magic with Morgause and it became clear to them that Morgana was far more advanced than any kid her age should be, the way she performed magic astounded them all it was so much different than Morgause's who used words to use her spells.

Morgana it came to her instinctively she just focused and was able to do it, and what astonished Vivienne even more was that she had rarely ever read up on spells. She had come to her one day and when asked why she wasn't doing her studying admitted that she didn't have to, what she needed to do came to her like breath. It confused her and asked her mother what that meant but the older woman really didn't know.

More years past and as Morgana grew so did her magic until it became pretty certain that she was the strongest out of them all, though she knew this she never said and was content to spend her time messing around with Morgause who chided her for playing childish and time wasting pranks before retaliating and joining in resulting in something being broken and the two ending up being shouted at.

They had all given up the search for any type of reason or explanation as to why Morgana's magic came to her as a baby with them just watching her as she grew. All of them that were save for Nimueh.

The last high priestess of the group until Morgause and then Morgana and the youngest out the lot had been secretly still reading up on everything that could give her any clues as to why the youngest of them all was also the most powerful. For years she had spent searching and coming up with nothing. Now normally she wasn't one for sticking with things and gave up after a while but from the very first moment she had seen for herself just what level of magic the youngest had a plan began to formulate in her head.

All of them hated Uther Pendragon for what he did but with them being hidden for so long they were content to just live like that keeping to the shadows but not her, she out of them all had the most cause to hate him for reasons she had not fully divulged with the others. Unknown to them and thankfully apart from Vivienne and Morgana being the only seers of the group but coming too late for them to know. She had helped the king in his time of need.

The birth of Arthur was meant to be her shining moment, her gift to Igraine….Instead magic screwed her over and because of it Uther saw fit to blame her for everything resulting in the casting of her from the court and the purge that followed, she hated him with everything and swore that she would get him back for what he did. With her being with the others she could hide out whilst planning her revenge, it was simple and easy.

She was just waiting for something that she could use and with the arrival of the other high priestess it had her disgruntled, she knew that Vivienne had a close friendship with the king and so wasn't too keen on having her there but then Morgana showed her magic and powerful magic it was.

Seeing this as the opportunity she had been waiting for she began watching the baby and soon learnt that she only ever showed her magic when Morgause was around so all she had to do was get close enough to the blonde brat and gain her trust long enough to get close to Morgana as it became clear that Morgause didn't allow anyone that wasn't there mother near her very much.

And it worked after a while as Morgause was sceptical at first but soon warmed up with a few simple smiles and stories very soon brining Morgana with her whenever she sat next to the older woman. Nimueh had applauded herself for a plan well done as Morgana used her magic pretty much all the time with Morgause allowing her to see up close just how strong she was.

But it wasn't enough just gaining her trust, if she had any chance of using Morgana to her own ends she needed influence. And so, offered to teach her the art of scrying when she was older, it was something she was good at and it was perfect as it needed peace in order for it to be successful and so every few days they would go off on their own to practise.

Of course it wasn't all about the scrying as Morgana soon found out; soon they began to learn other things from telekinesis which she was already good at to things that she didn't think her mother would ever let her learn.

One lesson Nimueh had brought a book with her and told her that they was going to be learning something a little different as she brought with her a bag to which she placed on a rock and Morgana watched as she brought a black fluffy thing out and laid it on the stone ledge in front of them. On closer inspection the younger girl grimaced at the sight of a dead raven lying rumpled on the rock.

Nimueh had merely smiled at her expression and chuckled before flipping the pages until she came to a stop in the middle. She then let Morgana read it through until she asked if she was ready to try it for herself. Morgana never missing an opportunity to try new stuff agreed and moved closer to the dead creature taking the piece of chalk from the older woman and drawing a circle around the bird before marking symbols around its body and placing her hands just above the birds chest she closed her eyes and began muttering the long and complicated spell that she had learnt.

Nimueh watched as she concentrated her efforts mumbling the long words and scrunching her face every few minutes until finally her words got louder ad with the final few she spoke them loudly, and full of power her eyes opening before glowing, a couple of minutes later she started laughing as Nimueh looked on her hopes rising more and more as the once dead raven now stood cawing and flapping in front of them.

The bird peered at them with its beady black eyes as it sat in front of them until Morgana asked what it was that she was meant to do next. The older woman chuckled as she knelt down and said that now she had brought the bird back she could get it to do whatever she wanted. Morgana nodded but then told her that it sounded like a cool thing to do, if she actually spoke bird.

The older woman had to laugh at that and shook her head telling her that now that it was under her command, it would understand old tongue and so she could tell it to do something. Still looking sceptical but facing the bird anyway she looked it in the eyes and muttered a few words to it and pulling back when it cawed again and took off up into the air and over the trees.

It came back a while later coming down to land back in front of them and dropped its cargo from its beak. They both looked at what it brought back and Nimueh was amused to see that it was Morgause's gold bracelet, the one Vivienne gave to her not so long ago, Morgana smiled as she patted the bird and picked the small metal item up from the ledge and turned to face her smiling.

That was only one of the things the other woman taught her but only when no one else was around, she wasn't stupid enough not to know that Vivienne wouldn't take to kindly to learn that her daughter was being taught dark magic and that she had just brought a bird back through the art of necromancy.

She had made the younger girl promise that she wouldn't tell anyone, it confuse her at first but the n liked having a secret and so nodded, she liked the time they spent together and what they learnt and didn't want it to end so kept quiet even to Morgause who she told everything.

So it continued carrying on in secret under the guise of scrying as Nimueh opened her mind to all sorts of magic that Vivienne wouldn't allow them to learn. 'Weak' she thought as she watched Morgana practise and grow. Why anyone would want to keep someone with such power under rules she didn't know but she was there to teach her what she needed and all the while her plans were slowly coming together.

Morgana was slowly changing as a person to, it wasn't noticeable at first but as time went on her once happy and optimistic personality stated to change as she got older she became more guarded, more aware of what was going on around her and not just where they lived, Nimueh had been telling her more and more about Uther and the terrible crimes he had done against their kind, and the more she listened the more she got angrier at the murderer in Camelot.

The others noticed it to as her outlook became more pessimistic and even going as far as ignoring her mother in favour of Nimueh. The other woman couldn't have been more pleased with her plan. And was already halfway there she now had influence over the younger woman and was almost there to getting her to do what she wanted, all she needed was a little more time.

Of course their peaceful and idyllic live couldn't always stay like that, sooner or later something was always bound to come along and spoil it and that something happened one misty morning, when Morgana took a trip to the isle of the blessed.

* * *

**i would love to know what people thought of this, personally i thought it dragged a little but then i just don't know when to stop. So any thoughts people may have then i would always be glad to hear.**

**:)**


	7. Dream's

**Just a quick note to the last reviewer, **

**Yes in the series Merlin is the only one to have been able to do that but i find it one sided that he could. In the show, he was shown as this amazing and strong magic user when Morgana was just as strong...Unfortunately the producers thought Merlin was just better and so wasted Morgana in favor of Merlin, which i found unfair.**

**This is why in my story they are both just as strong as each other, none of them being more powerful then the other. They both have are on the same level...Two halves of magic sort of.**

**I always thought if they didn't favor Merlin then they would of been equals, like yin and yang or night and day. You always need one to counter balance the other as they both are pretty much the same but just on different sides. **

**That saying they both will have little differences but on the magic level they both are even, in this anyway, so sorry if that 'cheapens' his originality but i didn't find him all that great to begin with in the first place so that's the way this story is playing out.**

**If that's something you will find not to your liking then by all means you don't have to keep reading but i thought i would just add this and let everyone who thought the same.**

**On another note, sorry this has taken so long and i hope you all enjoy. :)**

* * *

The next day Morgana was up and dressed before the sun had risen. She hadn't been able to sleep as much as she would have liked but was sometimes used to it. Breathing out, she looked over to her sleeping sister who had no problem doing just that, and was lying motionless with one arm underneath her head the other on her stomach. She watched the rise and fall of her chest for a few moments before sighing again and getting up.

She silently made her way over to the door and with one last look back opened the door and left the room closing it quietly behind her, she made her way down the hallway and into the open room as she looked at the window before turning to the table and chairs in the middle of the room as she sat down. She breathed in deeply before placing her head in her hands and letting the dream that had left her sleepless play out.

It had been far and in between that she had little sleep in the days that she had lived with the others, and even more so seeing that her mother was also a seer and so helped her to control what she saw therefore giving her that power of controlling the mental side of her magic.

There was no urgent foretelling of prophecies, no imminent sense of danger that was nearing. So why was it after all this time, for the first time. Was it that one of her dreams had left her feeling uneasy.

Still with her head in her hands she didn't hear the silent footsteps of another as they entered the room. She felt the soft touch of a hand and looked up a little startled only to smile as she saw the face of her mother who was smiling back.

"Is everything ok?" Vivienne asked a little shocked at seeing her youngest up, normally she was the first one if not one of the other older women but never Morgana or Morgause.

The younger woman nodded still looking at her before cocking her head slightly to the side at seeing the little disbelieving look she was getting.

"What?"

The other woman shrugged before coming to sit next to her, "Nothing…..I just, never thought I would see the day where you were up before I was" The reply was spoken nonchalantly but Morgana could see the slight teasing tone and the smile her mother had when she took the seat next to her and so scoffed.

"It's not so difficult to believe that I can get up on my own?"

She still saw the smirk before adding

"And early mind you, so yes dear mother, I can believe it"

Vivienne snorted slightly and cut in before Morgana could protest. "Morgana, my darling, I love you. But you are the worst liar ever especially to your mother so don't take it to heart when I tell you that you may think so, the rest of us, not so much.

"Bu"

"You kicked Morgause when she tried to get you up early once" She cut in again interrupting her as the younger woman closed her mouth.

"And it was your birthday we had made a special breakfast for you, and all she had to do was get you out of your bed, in the end she came back to us holding her stomach and you still fast asleep."

Morgana couldn't help but smirk at that. She might not have remembered it but just hearing about it pleased her, she had always wondered why she got the evil eye off her sister that week.

"It's not funny Morgana"

The older woman's voice broke her out of her thoughts as she looked to see the stern expression she had and nodded,

"Sorry"

Vivienne nodded before reaching out to shift some of Morgana's long hair away from her face before asking.

"So that saying you are not a morning person, why is it that I find you up before the sun is?" She looked out the window to see the faintest of pink lines across the sky above the trees and added.

"Well at the same time now"

She looked back to the girl who was almost her mirror image as Morgana sighed and shook her head,

"I couldn't really sleep"

Vivienne narrowed her eyes and stroked her hair gently

"Any reason"

Morgana turned to her and let out the breath she was holding. "I had this weird dream. It felt real, and it just kept me up"

The older woman nodded "Well what was it about"

Morgana looked to her and was about to speak when her mother held up her hand and got out of her seat. She frowned and looked as she moved into the kitchen before huffing, what was the point of asking if she was just going to move. And she wondered why it was that she and Morgause didn't engage in conversations sometimes. It was her fault.

She came back a couple of minutes later and placed a cup in front of her as Morgana looked down to see that it was one of her special fixtures that neither she nor Morgause knew what it was. For all their bugging and incisive questioning she still wouldn't tell them.

She smiled at the other woman who returned the gesture before settling back in her seat.

"Now getting back to this dream of yours" She stared at her daughter waiting for her to speak as Morgana nodded. She breathed in deeply before looking back at her and speaking.

"I was on the isle just looking out at the sea like I usually do, it was basically like any other day than, I don't know it just goes dark."

"Dark like night?" Her mother cut in as Morgana shook her head.

"No I thought that but as it gets darker I see that it's a cave."

"A cave" The younger woman nods

"Well not even that. It's like a cave the walls are damp and it has the feel. But it isn't, it's a room."

Vivienne listened as her daughter describes the dream. She frowns on listening as she tries to recall if there is any place like that around the area they live. And as much as she can remember there isn't. Not a cave with a door anyway.

"And these men"

"Men?" She nods again.

I don't know where they come from but they're there. And these didn't look like normal men."

A little confused at that Vivienne frowns slightly before asking, "What do you mean?"

Pausing she lifts the cup to her lips before trying to think of a way to describe the men from her dream before continuing.

"I….I don't know. There not like any of the men that I have seen around here not even any of the knights. These whoever they are, looked like beasts."

Still confused but now slightly curious she waits for her to carry on

"They…Are twice the size of any normal man, their bodies are like boulders. Broad and the height of them, they were massive. They could easily crush any man around here, but it was their eyes."

"….What about them?"

Morgana pauses a little shudder going through her at the image. She may have done some unsavory things in her time but the picture of them staring right at her sent chills down her spine.

"They were as black as the room I was in and as cold as the air outside. They looked, it looked like they didn't feel anything. No emotion, no life no nothing."

The older woman nodded, she didn't know why her daughter had this dream as they all knew by now a seers dreams are anything but normal, but this. It didn't make any sense to her and she wasn't the one that had it.

"They had clothes that looked different to what any would wear round here"

"How so"

"I…It looked like they were wearing fur. Who wears fur around here?" She asked looking up as the older woman shook her head.

"Do these men speak" She asked as Morgana bit her lip before mutely shaking her own

"No…..But this man, he was shorter than the ones with him and he wasn't as built. But they were standing by him like they were there for his bidding. I don't know. He was in the middle of the doorway smirking, pleased at something and he looked like he was about to speak and then."

She stops at that as Vivienne looks at her before speaking.

"What"

"That's it, I woke up at that and couldn't get back to sleep." She sighs and leans back in her chair running her hands over her face as the older woman tries to make sense of what she had just been told as they both let the silence wash over them

"I really don't know what it means" She finally speaks after a few minutes as Morgana laughs.

"Nor I do I mother"

It was another few minutes before the older woman replies

"Well whatever it was I'm sure it means nothing,"

Morgana looks at her eyes narrowed, as she speaks again.

"Look at it, have you had a dream that has happened that had involved anything bad in these years here?"

The raven haired woman smirked at the words she had thought not half an hour ago before shaking her head. It was true as Vivienne carried on.

"Maybe you will come across these people but it will mean nothing," Morgana nodded trying to see a reason as to why she had seen this but came up with nothing so accepted the other woman's slightly weak reason and decided to put it behind her as more sounds told them the rest were up just as Cassandra and Nimueh came into view. They both looked around to see the new arrivals and smiled.

"You are up early, what's the matter Morgause put worms in your bed again?" Nimueh teased on seeing the youngest next to her mother as she scowled making her laugh.

"No and lets not speak of that shall we" She replied earning another laugh making her scowl again as the others went about making breakfast. Morgana stood up and stretched before leaving the room and back down to her own as she pushed open the door and looked at Morgause who was still sleeping, rolling her eyes she made her way to her wardrobe and pulled out a new shirt and breeches before changing.

Throwing her sleep clothes on her bed she turned and watched as the blonde turned under her covers before continuing to sleep. Morgana narrowed her eyes and after a couple of seconds looked to the door and then back to her sister a smile adorning her lips before she made to leave. With one last look back at the oblivious blonde she took hold of the handle and slammed the door shut.

The door hit the frame with a loud bang which reverberated around the room and waking Morgause as she sat bolt upright but was tangled in her sheets as she rolled over and fell from her bed, she hit the floor landing on her back as she opened her eyes taking in the few seconds of complete change of surface and wondering what just happened before looking to the other side and seeing an empty bed.

Narrowing her eyes she saw the clothes her sister wore for bed and knew that she must have been up and then to the door before looking back as it hit her what had happened.

Morgana sat back at the table fighting back a smirk as Vivienne came back into the room looking at the hall which led to the bed rooms before looking at Morgana again.

"And just why is your sister shouting now?" She asked as the raven haired woman shrugged,

"Does she ever need a reason these days mother" She replied as the other woman hummed not seeing the smirk as they both looked to where they could hear the blonde shouting.

"She really is just an angry person" Morgana sighed after a couple of seconds as Vivienne nodded slowly before placing the plate she had brought in on the table in front of her before making her way back into the kitchen just as Morgause made an appearance.

She glared around the room before her eyes set on her target sitting all alone at the table before she made her way over just as Morgana turned and smiled.

"Someone's up early" She spoke her voice slightly mocking as the blonde growled. Her eyes blazing.

"You" She spoke through gritted teeth getting ever closer, Morgana kept up her smile as the blonde, getting so nearer to her was about to aim for her throat. Was startled when a coughing sound came from her side had her stumbling slightly before her expression changed into a smile but it was forced. She instead, pulled Morgana in for a hug as her original plan of strangling her failed.

"This is not over you little brat!" She snarled under her breath tightening her grip just to make sure the threat stayed as Morgana merely smiled before patting her back.

"Of course dear sister" Not at all paying any heed as the blonde stepped away still with the murderous glint but smiled as their mother was watching before taking the seat next to her, her expression dropping back into perpetual annoyance.

The rest took their seats around the table as they had breakfast. The dream Morgana had leaving her mind for the time being, as they made conversation and their plans for the day ahead.

Morgana was placing her boots on once she had helped clear up after breakfast was finished. Her sword had broken off at the top a few days back and so was going to the Blacksmith in the next village. Unfortunately that consisted of a half a day's ride away, sometimes she really did hate living in the middle of nowhere but as she had been told countless times before, it was to ensure Uther didn't hear anything about them.

So she had resigned herself to long trips like these as using magic was out of the question. Who knew could be watching and just appearing out of thin air was sure to alert others to their whereabouts. She scoffed as she went and got her horse still annoyed at the distance.

"Not as if anyone's just watching the forest all the time" She muttered annoyed as she fixed the reins and led the animal out before breathing out. If it wasn't her best sword she would have just left it and so steeled herself before standing straight. She was about to set off when Morgause came out.

"If you're planning on revenge can it wait until later? I have to get my sword back" She said as soon as the blonde came into view as Morgause looked over and laughed mockingly before shaking her head and moved past her, Morgana frowned and turned watching as the older woman got her horse and equipment before bringing it out and set about fixing the reigns and saddle.

"Er…..Where you going"

Morgause sighed and looked up seeing the other woman's gaze on her and rolled her eyes before replying.

"Mother wants to make sure that you get to where ever you're going safe and so asked me if I would go with you" Before getting back to securing the horse as the younger woman laughed slightly.

"She's kidding right?" Burt frowned when Morgause didn't respond.

"Morgause…I've been places by myself before I don't need you to babysit me"

Morgause scoffed as she stepped to the side facing her.

"That's what I said, I have things to be doing myself and looking after your arse isn't one of them."

"So just pretend that you've gone with me and then go do what it is that…..You do"

Morgause sighed and shook her head cutting her off mid protest as she swung herself up on her horse.

"No you know what's she's like, she always knows somehow and I'd rather not get shouted at thank you so come on. The quicker you get your little toy back the quicker we can come back."

Ignoring the jibe Morgana sighed and followed suit, taking the reins and nudging the animal on after her sister as she caught up.

"Sure, admit it, you like my company and just want to be nearer to me"

The blonde laughed out loud and gave her a scornful look as she shook her head,

"Yes Morgana, it's not like I have more important things to be getting on with then missing half a day to just follow you around." Muttering a little quieter she nudged the horse into a faster gallop as they made their way through the forest.

Just a few miles in the other direction four men was making their way along the track that led them from their make shift camp which they had been semi living in and to the isle of the blessed where their next target lay.

They had been working out ways of trying to retrieve their newest addition without causing her either her too much harm or they. And the only solution they had come up with was the safest one they could think of, it wasn't one they really liked as it involved no killing or pain but if they needed her harm free then this way be it.

"I don't think this is going to work" The last one called out to his travel companions as they made their way through the thick trees.

"It will" The first called, this didn't help the last much as he shouted out again.

"How are you so sure? How do we know this isn't some kind of trick that is going to get us killed."

At this they stopped, they hadn't thought of that. At least not at the time but now it seemed very much like a possibility, after all they had to go on was that she was the last high priestess and that she would be alone.

"Think about it? He didn't tell us what she would look like, what her name is or anything about how it would help us in the long run." The more he spoke the more it sounded like the man at the camp was playing them. but then he thought about the pay, it was the same amount they got for that skinny little branch twig that was a big commodity or something they didn't know but it was a lot.

And if they were to get the same amount for this priestess then they would be very rich people. He had to think long and hard, was it worth it? The information given was little to nothing at best and they had no idea just what lay ahead. Did he risk his men lives for more gold then they had ever received for one jobs worth then they had in ten?

In the end he thought the financial gain was to great and so pushing aside the little niggling feeling he had he dismissed his men's doubts and carried on along the path. All they had to do was go there snatch the priestess and using the method they had prepared it would be easy and bring her back, they would get their money and once that was over leave.

What was so dangerous about that?

Morgana and Morgause came to a stop at a stream that ran to the sea as they let the horses rest a while. The younger woman stretched grimacing at the cracking of her bones before grumbling and sitting on the nearest rock.

"How long do we have to go" Morgause asked as she paced around the small clearing, Morgana shrugged and looked at the path they had been taking.

"About three maybe three and a half hours to go" Morgause nodded before coming to sit next to her, they stayed in silence for a little while before deciding that if they was going to stick to that time frame they needed to go now and so allowed the horses a few more minutes of drinking before carrying on their way.

It was a while later that the men came to another stop this time at a cross roads as the second in the line pulled out a map as they took the stop as a rest in which he gazed down at the detailed paper with directions and lines scattered over the image of Albion.

"Where are we"

He shrugged after a few minutes still keeping his gaze on the map in front of him. He narrowed his eyes they were just a few hundred meter's from a lake if he was correct and he turned the map slightly, they were close that much he could tell and looked at the directions the different paths could take them if they went left, then they would end up in a place called the western Isles, and if they went right then that would take them to a place called the valley of the fallen kings which in turn to the Isle of the blessed.

"We go right" He grunted rolling the paper up gaining the attentions of the others who had been looking around, they looked at him as he gave them the direction in which to go and nodded as he put the map in his bag and they set off again.

Both Morgana and Morgause turned off at the end of the trail and up the path as they got closer to the village. Never once glancing at the men who passed them by as they carried on their journey, the four of them looked at the sound of hooves coming the other way and watched as two woman made their way past them as they took in their appearances.

They looked the complete opposite to each other, but yet had some similar features so they must have been related, both looked very beautiful, with their eyes being the most stand out features. They only had a few seconds to see them, before they passed but could tell that though they looked like people who could have been of importance, none of them looked like a high priestess not that they knew what one really looked like and so didn't think nothing of it.

Not even thinking about the men they passed Morgana and Morgause nudged their horses and galloped down the path. A while later they arrived at the village as Morgause waited outside with the horses as Morgana made her way through the small cluster of houses and past the inn to the forgery. She smiled at the man who was busy outside as he saw her coming and stood up to greet her.

"Hello dear,"

She smiled at his greeting and nodded her head in returned stopping in front of him and replying,

"Hello Thomas"

The older man stopped what he was doing and moved around the hot iron wiping his hands and looking at her

"You come for your sword?" She smiled and nodded as he looked around the clutter that was his workshop.

"Yes, yes I remember me finishing it just two days ago, if you'll give me a minute dear" And he disappeared into the building behind them as she turned to look around the little village. She watched as then children ran around playing as she remembered she and Morgause when they were younger messing around in the forest. They didn't stay in the forest as much as she liked anymore but they still played tricks on each other when the occasion called for it.

Smiling at the memory she watched as they ran past her and turned back when a cough signaled his return as he held her sword in his hands wrapped in a cloth as he smiled.

"All fixed good as new and i polished it for you to." She smiled at the old man who came forward and gave her the weapon as she looked at the top and was pleased to see it as sharp as when she first got it before smiling at the man who was pleased she liked his work before she handed over the bag that held his pay.

"Thank you, Thomas" She said as he nodded still smiling,

"If anything else needs fixing my lady please, feel free to bring it to me" She nodded once more and said she would before turning and letting him get back to his work and made her way back over to Morgause who was watching the people go past her as she attached the sword to the back of the saddle and swing her leg back over the side.

"All done" She asked as the younger woman nodded, she pursed her lips and looked around once more before turning her horse around and following on after her as they set off back out of the village and back home.

The men who they had passed some hour previous had finally after getting past the valley had, come out at the other end and was following the track that led them over the fields before stopping at the top as they gazed upon the sea and the isle in the middle which was shrouded in mist giving off the impression of deep foreboding.

"Creepy place" One muttered as they nodded, it screamed magic to those who didn't have it and the ones that did it was the place of highest regard. They nudged their horses as they set off down the track and closer back into the forest as they made their way closer. They dismounted at the edges of the trees around the sides of the lake which surrounded the large, majestic and sacred temple as they looked around for any way to enter.

"How the hell are we meant to get across" One spoke after a while as they searched high and low for any signs of a bridge or a boat or something but to their frustration they came up empty.

"How does this priestess do it" Another asked as they shrugged,

"Magic" One guessed as they made their way back to the horses with one last look at the inaccessible island.

"So what now"

The leader was watching the silent building as he narrowed his eyes, the niggling feeling was still there and on seeing the isle for himself the very first time. Only made them more prominent, but he had come all this way and he wasn't leaving, if not for the money but now fir curiosity. He wanted to see now just what kind of person could stand to be around this large and admittedly intimidating place and by themselves to.

"We wait" Was his answer before leaning his horse in the darker part of the shade as the rest watched him before giving each other glances. Before they followed him as they made camp for however long it took for the priestess to return.

It was late afternoon early evening when the sisters returned from their trip as they came to a stop just outside the small barn before securing the horses for the night and feeding them then making their way back inside.

"How was your trip" Vivienne asked as they came through the door, Morgana looked over where she was sat at the table and smiled holding up her newly fixed sword and then saying she was going to place it in her room before making her way down the hall but not before being laden with hers and Morgause's stuff they had taken with them.

Putting the sword in her drawer she placed Morgause's boots by her bed, and her bag before turning to her own and began hunting the book she was planning to read. She frowned from her place on the floor after looking underneath to see if it was there but to no avail. And sat on the floor wondering where it was, she looked over on Morgause's side as she was not above taking her stuff but she didn't have it either.

She left the room and went back to where the others were as now Morgause was sat next to their mother and went about searching the front room paying no mind to them as they watched her.

After a few minutes and a lot of looking later Vivienne spoke up,

"Morgana"

The younger woman looked up from her spot on the floor to see both staring at her

"What are you doing?"

She sighed and threw her arms out at the sides

"Looking for my book, I wanted to finish it but I can't find it and I thought it might have been in here" She looked at them again

"You haven't seen it have you?"

She frowned when both shook their heads and grumbled as she sat back next to the seats.

"Look for it tomorrow, in the morning you will have better lighting." The older woman said as she nodded in agreement before poking Morgause in the leg who kicked out but helped her when she held out her hand as she took the seat next to them

"Dinner will be done soon so both of you go and wash up before you come back" With that the older woman stood as she patted them on the shoulders earning moans from them as they stood and trudged back down to the hall.

Dinner that night was just like breakfast but with the added addition of Hilda who had been absent for the morning as Morgause moaned to the rest at how long the trip took with Morgana snapping back she didn't have to come she would have been fine on her own. Once the plates had been cleared and washed the younger woman bristled at not having her book to read decide to go back to her room and examine her sword better.

That didn't happen as she shut the door behind her and went to her bed only to find herself being woken by Morgause who was looking down at her with a smirk as half her body was hanging over the side as she sat upright frowning before looking around.

"Didn't we just have the evening meal?" She asked as the blonde chuckled and moved to her side before answering,

"Yes sister about two hours ago."

That shocked the younger woman who stood up and stretched as she mimicked the blonde and made to get her sleep clothes all the while wondering just how she fell asleep so fast.

"The air must have gotten to you quicker than you thought" The blonde added muffled under her shirt as Morgana nodded,

"Must have"

"Will that mean you won't sleep now for a while? Because I'm not in the mood to placate you by conversation" She asked looking around a serious expression adorning her face as Morgana shook her head.

"No….No I still feel tired actually so I don't think sleep will be a problem" She replied as the blonde nodded happy with the answer before placing her clothes to the side and sliding under the covers. Morgana did the same a few minutes later and laid her head on the pillow as Morgause extinguished the candle bathing the room in darkness as both bade goodnight, Morgana wanted to annoy Morgause and start talking but like she said before she was still tired and so found sleep came to quickly as both fell silent.

Just a mile away and near the isle four men also settled down for the night, they had waited all evening for the priestess to show but she never did and so concluded that she must live nearby, as they decided to wait it out for the night in the hopes she would show herself in the morning before they chose their make shift area for the night and waited for their priestess to show.


End file.
